Blind Faith

Blind Faith (No. 47, 2008)
Oddly, something clearly understood by many people can be seriously misapprehended by others. Sometimes the results can be disastrous. At one of Billy Graham’s evangelistic crusades in England, he had his frequent musical partner, George Beverly Shea, sing one of his most beloved solos. “It took a miracle to put the stars in place,” he sang, and sat down satisfied that he had glorified God before his British audience. But an intensely irate woman who attended the event lodged a heated protest with Billy Graham. She was incensed that Billy Graham had the audacity to allow a soloist to come to England and sing, “It took America to put the stars in place!” She obviously missed the message of a great song of faith, funneling it through her misunderstanding. This time of the year, I am amazed that people can experience the magnificent display of fall foliage, yet fail to be drawn close to God. The whole process of leaves turning from peaceful green to vivid red, yellow, orange, and finally sedate brown offers witness to God’s constant renewal of life. Our wonderful gingko compresses the transformation into a few stunning days. One day, the broad leaves are supple and green. Suddenly, the outer edge of each leaf becomes a bright yellow border. A couple of days later, all of the leaves change entirely to yellow. Then, in just 2 or 3 days, the tree sheds all of its leaves. Barely more than a week goes by from start to finish of the transformation. We are saddened to enjoy the splendor of the display- and the ensuing raking - so briefly, but we know that is all part of God’s marvelous gift of life. In nature, the fallen leaves enrich the ground, a gift of life some people mimic by composting the leaves and using the fertile results to enrich the landscape. God’s love and grace are painted in Fall colors for all humanity to see. Creation’s witness can be misapprehended by so many, while it does lead others to personal relationship with God. One who responded in faith to Nature’s telling of God’s grace was Brother Lawrence (1611-1692). Born Nicholas Herman, he admired the priest in the French parish of his boyhood. He took his name, Lawrence, when he entered a monastery to work as a cook. Earlier, he had been injured in the 30 Years War, and had worked unsuccessfully as a footman for a French nobleman. In the monastery, he lacked the education to become a priest, so he worked more than 40 years in the kitchen, then as a cobbler. He became renowned for his strong, simple faith, and was sought out by priests, bishops, and laity for counsel in following his way of “practicing the presence of God.” A member of the order in the monastery, Joseph de Beaufort, wrote an account of his conversations with Brother Lawrence, and published it along with some of his collected letters. Brother Joseph tells of Brother Lawrence’s conversion to faith in Christ: “He told me that GOD had done him a singular favor, in his conversion at the age of eighteen. That in the winter, seeing a tree stripped of its leaves, and considering that within a little time, the leaves would be renewed, and after that the flowers and fruit appear, he received a high view of the Providence and Power of GOD, which has never since been effaced from his soul. That this view had perfectly set him loose from the world, and kindled in him such a love for GOD, that he could not tell whether it had increased in above forty years that he had lived since. (Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God) Brother Lawrence encouraged all Christians to practice awareness of God’s presence in every facet of life. The gracious God he had met as he saw a barren tree in winter, he knew to be loving and gracious every moment of every day. He said of his personal sense of God’s presence, “The time of business does not differ with me from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great a tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament.” (Ibid.) Such closeness to God should be the goal of every follower of Christ, and Brother Lawrence gave profound but simple counsel for seeking that goal: “We need to recognize that God is always intimately present with us and address Him every moment. In things that are doubtful we need to ask His assistance to know His will. And the things we plainly see He requires of us, we should rightly perform. As we go about this pursuit we should simply offer all things to Him before we do them and give Him thanks when we have finished.” (Ibid.) God’s witness in the wonders of creation seemed to Paul to be almost impossible for people to misunderstand. He wrote: “The truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. {20} From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.” (Romans 1:19-20 NLT) Those who recognize correctly that the God who lovingly created all things loves them graciously have praised God for his saving power demonstrated in creation: “You, O God, are my king from ages past, bringing salvation to the earth…. {17} You caused the springs and streams to gush forth, and you dried up rivers that never run dry. {16} Both day and night belong to you; you made the starlight and the sun. {17} You set the boundaries of the earth, and you make both summer and winter.” (Psalm 74:12, 15-17 NLT) The ever-changing beauty of nature in each season can prompt believers to acknowledge God’s presence with them, and to tell others about God’s saving grace: “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to make music to praise your name, O Most High. {2} It is good to announce your mercy in the morning and your faithfulness in the evening …. {4} You made me find joy in what you have done, O LORD. I will sing joyfully about the works of your hands. {5} How spectacular are your works, O LORD! How very deep are your thoughts! (Psalm 92:1-2, 4-5 GWT) This brings us back to George Beverly Shea’s beloved song. When I think of him singing, It Took a Miracle is one of the songs that plays in my memory most readily. The song, which celebrates creation’s telling about the grace of God, is part of my most basic understanding of encountering God personally:
My Father is omnipotent, And that you can’t deny; A God of might and miracles; ‘Tis written in the sky.
Though here His glory has been shown, We still can’t fully see The wonders of His might, His throne ‘Till eternity.
The Bible tells us of His power And wisdom all way through; And every little bird and flower Are testimonies too. Chorus It took a miracle to put the stars in place; It took a miracle to hang the world in space. But when He saved my soul, Cleansed and made me whole, It took a miracle of love and grace! (It Took a Miracle, John W. Peterson, 1948)
Take a look around you at God’s magnificent creation. Do you see his grace at work? Do you sense the same creative power that is seen in nature at work in the miracle of Jesus Christ creating new life in you through faith? As the beauty of the Fall foliage causes you to catch your breath, breath in the presence of God’s Spirit that will draw you closer to him every moment. Don’t misunderstand what God may be telling you this time of year. The fallen leaves aren’t just another chore to clean up, they are part of God’s care for all of life! - J. Edward Culpepper, Ph.D.

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