Pastor Doug Dortch
Mountain Brook Baptist Church, Birmingham
One of the most famous frescos of the 16th century Italian painter Michelangelo is his “Creation of Adam,” which adorns the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. The fresco is an illustration of God’s animating work in forming His human creation and shows the earnestness of God in the process. It’s as if God is straining mightily to reach out to Adam, but Adam seems to be not so excited about reaching back to God. The fact of the matter is that Adam seems rather nonchalant. Adam has no idea what he is missing.
The fresco is a commentary on where too many people are even today. The idea of knowing God becomes something people think they can get around to at a time that is convenient to them, but of course we who know God also understand that such people really have no idea what they are missing either.
To know God is to have a purpose to your life. It’s to know that life isn’t meaningless or random but that God is directing all things toward good ends for those who love Him (Rom. 8:28).
To know God is to be at peace in your life. It’s to know that in spite of the trials and tribulations that will come your way God will always see you through (Ps. 23:4). To know God is to greet each day with all manner of possibility, because God is faithful to His promises and His mercies are new every morning (Lam. 3:22–23).
I trust you are not missing any of these blessings. If so, it is no difficult thing to secure them. Simply reach out to that nail-scarred hand of Jesus through which God extended Himself fully to reconcile the world. Do so enthusiastically and with great anticipation.
As you do you will discover that you really are not that far away, because from the very beginning, God has already been reaching out to you.
Share with others: