Thought for the weekend

Rev Gareth Burke

The majesty of Glencoe in the Scottish Highlands. Credit: Andrew Milligan

July 31 2021 11:00 AM

I am suffering from "beauty overkill”. What, you might ask, is “beauty overkill”?

For the last two weeks, I have been on holiday in Scotland, visiting family and friends.

We have travelled many miles and have seen outstanding beauty – passing through Glencoe at 10 o’clock in the evening as the light was fading, travelling many miles throughout Wester Ross, awed by the mountains and the lochs and enjoying, too, the gentler scenery around Loch Lomond.

It seemed to me that, no matter where we turned, there was beauty. Outstanding beauty.

Of course, the reality is that there are many beautiful sights to behold in our world. You will have your favourite spots, which you enjoy visiting repeatedly.

As we admire the beauty of the world, we are caused to think, “Where did this all come from?”

In the beauty and majesty of the creation, we see something of the power and greatness of the creator, God.

Even though the world is fallen and is marred and damaged by the effects of the fall of man into sin, we are still able to see something of the greatness of God in His creation.

In Romans 1:20, we are told, in reference to God, that: “His invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse.”

However, the Book of Romans goes on to show us that, while the mountains and oceans show us much of the greatness and majesty of God, something more is needed for us to know how we might enter into relationship with God.

God has, for sure, revealed himself in creation, but if we are ever going to experience His forgiveness and salvation, something more is needed.

Enter Jesus. He came from Heaven and entered into our world, so that we might be reconciled to God.

He went to the cross to die in our place, to bear our sins, so that we who have faith in Him might be forgiven.

We thank God for the wonder of His creation. But we especially thank Him for sending His son so that we might be saved from our sins and become children of the living God.

Do look to the mountains, but look especially to Jesus, our Saviour.

Thought for the weekend

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