Archive Poster : November 2016
The popularity of model aeroplanes has been losing altitude for a while now. They're certainly not flying like they used to. After all, why fiddle with finicky, bits of plastic when you can instantly gratify yourself with the, 'Story of Flight' on Netflix or fly in the cockpit of a jetliner (on your smart phone that is!)?
Nevertheless, a dwindling group of model aircraft hobbyists claim that real gratification doesn't come from a finished plane but from the enjoyment of making one. You pull out the injection-moulded plastic parts, break all the bits off and meticulously glue them into place, finally arriving at a beautifully completed whole.
As you build you can really appreciate all those brilliant engineers who designed the real planes. Intended to operate in extreme weather, real planes have to take off and land every time without fail! The consequences of bad design are catastrophic.
Doctors report the same kind of wonder as they work on damaged or sick human bodies. So many speak of the sheer awe they have for God's imagination and ingenuity. His design includes temperature regulation, water proofing, agility across all kinds of terrain, the ability to process a wide range of foods, a voice box capable of both singing and words, dexterous hands, velvet skin to caress, expressive faces. The list is endless and full of remarkable surprises.
Unsurprisingly, many consider the most amazing part to be our brain. It's been described as the most complex thing in the universe. But really, the cleverest thing is that we can relate to God, intimately, as beings with separate wills. You see, God designed us to relate to Him. That's our purpose. We have what ancient Christians used to call, 'capacity for God'. And we have it like no other creature on the planet. Indeed, the Bible says that we're made in the very image of God. This means we're like him in profound ways. All of which makes relating to Him not just that much easier, but the right thing to do.
So, as you consider how amazing your own body is, you might like to relate this wonder back to your maker. Here are some words from the Bible that can help you praise God in just this way...
Bible verse: "I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made". Psalm 139:14
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for making me. You are a great and wonderful creator. Please help me relate to you always.