Life on Mars!

"Its near perfect design and shape means it must be the result of intelligent design and certainly not a trick of light and shadow" (Paranormal Crucible web site computer narration).

An interesting comment, I hope you will agree!  It refers to a pyramid-shaped  object, photographed by the Mars "Curiosity Rover" - the unmanned space vehicle, placed on the surface of the Red Planet, by NASA (North American Space Administration).  According to those who believe that there was (or still is!) civilised life on Mars, it is clear evidence of an intelligence that designed, and built, the "structure".

Perhaps it is; perhaps it is not.  What I find fascinating is that the majority, if not all, of those who would make this astounding claim, will still insist that the universe itself is merely the result of random chance events over billions of years!  They will insist that the complexity of the eye - mammal, fish, or insect - "just happened" in a series of "evolutionary" changes (for which there is absolutely no evidence of which I am aware!).

If one is prepared to examine the subject with a truly open mind, one quickly realises that there is, indeed, design and purpose behind all that we see and experience - on planet Earth, and beyond!  The only question is:"Who designed it all"?

The Old Testament book of Genesis (Beginnings) gives a clear and simple answer: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen.1:1).  Those who refuse to accept that simple statement do so, not on the basis of what they claim to be "scientific evidence", but because they are not prepared to accept the very existence of One to Whom all of mankind is ultimately answerable.  They demand 'evidence' for the existence of God, unable, or unwilling, to recognise that such evidence is all around them.

Whether we examine the immensity, and the regularity, of the cosmos; or whether we marvel at the workings of DNA; we are surrounded by evidence of intelligent design - and only the blinkered will claim otherwise.  

However, the most amazing thing is that this wonderful Creator of all that is, desires to be in a loving relationship with weak, sinful, human beings such as you, and me.  To make that possible, He took upon Himself human flesh and, in the Persona (not a typo - see my book: "Great Words" - details above - and the chapter on "Trinity") of Jesus of Nazareth, lived a human life - yet without sin, in any shape, manner, or form. (see Heb 4:15).  Out of that great love for us, He even went to the cross, becoming sin for us, and dying the death that we deserve. (see Rom.5:8; II Cor.5:21; inter al).  Before He breathed His last, he uttered a great shout of triumph - in the Greek language in which the New Testament is largely written, the single word "Tetelestai" - "Finished!" (Jn.19:30).  He had completed the amazing work of salvation, and the way had been opened for those who come to Him, confessing their sins, repenting of those sins, and seeking His help through the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit, to come into the presence, and know the fellowship, of that same Creator God.

Have you made that move?  He is ever waiting - but not for ever!  "Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (II Cor 6:2; emphasis added).

He has been my Saviour, and Lord, and Friend, for more years than I care to consider.  I have often let Him down (and still do!); but He has never let me down.  I commend Him to you and, as always, if you think that I may be able to be of help at a personal level, please feel free to contact me via the e-mail address at the top of the page. 

 

Water - it' so precious!

When NASA, etc., send probes to Mars in order to seek signs of life, the one thing above all that they look for is H₂O - water!  This is because, for life as we know it, water is absolutely essential

In France, water is metered.  Residents pay for what they actually use.  For us, used to paying a flat water rate regardless of usage, this has meant becoming somewhat creative in our use, and recycling, of that precious commodity.  When we are here, in France (and I know that the same thing applies to other countries, and even to some parts of the U.K.). we are more conscious than usual of the value of water.

For some of course, the lack of fresh, clean, water is the source of disease and even death.  That is why a number of Christian organisations, and individuals, work to provide proper water facilities for those who do not have them.  Our good friends, Chas and Jenny Tanner, continue to work on water projects (among other things) in Nepal.  In Wishaw Baptist Church, members have been supporting the organisation Samaritan's Purse, in an annual project to provide good water supplies.  These, and others, are worthy of any financial support that any readers of this blog feel led to offer!

Water is also referred to, many times, in the Scriptures of the New Testament.  Perhaps one of the best-known incidents that has a "high water content" (!) is recorded in John 2.  It's the account of the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee, to which Jesus and His disciples had been invited.   Then, the unthinkable happened!   Their supply of wine ran out.  In a culture in which hospitality has a very high place, such a thing would have been an embarrassment at any time - but at a wedding!  This would have been the cause of great shame for the family.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was there and immediately went to her Son to inform Him of this disastrous set of circumstances.  His immediate reaction seems to be rather negative (and this post is not the place to go into that topic!), but He did tell the servants to fill six large stone jars (each holding between 20 and 30 gallons!)  with water!  What a strange command!  But those servants had been well trained, and simply did what Jesus told them to do (as, indeed, Mary had instructed them).  They were than told to draw some out, and take it to the Master of Ceremonies.  When he tasted it, being something of a connoisseur, he called the bridegroom over and said "Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now." (John 2:10).

What a difference it would make in the world, in the Church, and in the lives of individual believers, if all who claim the name of Christ were to be as obedient as those Galilean servants were.  Sadly, most of us tend to question; to doubt; even to rebel!  By doing so, we not only lose out ourselves; we also ensure that others miss the opportunity to enjoy the sparkle that Jesus brings to life.  Not that being His disciple is a guarantee of an easy life in which everything falls into place to suit us!  Indeed, in spite of the message (I would claim, 'false message') preached by those in the so-called 'prosperity gospel' movement, the very opposite is more likely to be the case.  Those in the Persecuted Church know, more than any of us in the "West", what the true cost of discipleship is.  They know what it is to bear, in their bodies, the marks of Jesus (see Gal.6:17).  Many are imprisoned, in the most terrible of conditions; many are banished from home. village, country; many are martyred - sometimes parents being shot, or hacked, to death in front of their children.

However, such as these, who have drunk of the water of life (see Jn.4:14), are assured of eternal life - and that is immeasurably precious!