THE CHILDREN'S CREATOR

Although it is a happy thing that believing children know God as their heavenly Father, it is necessary for them to realise that He is also the one who created us all. Indeed Solomon, one of the two men whom Scripture calls preachers, wrote that we should remember our Creator in the days of our youth. Thus every day - and every night too - has something to teach us through the creation.

For one thing, the heavens declare the glory of God with a voice and speech that persons of every race and language can understand. A desert-dweller was once asked how he knew there was a God. He pointed first to the track of a camel in the sand, and then to the sunrise in the sky. He had not seen the camel but knew he had been there: he had not seen the Creator but knew Him by His glory. God will be very severe with everyone who does not glorify Him. The Scripture says that He is "blessed for ever, Amen." This is called a doxology which simply means a 'glory-word'.

The other preacher, Noah, preached "righteousness" and this no doubt included that God is "a faithful Creator" which the apostle Peter also tells us. God will always be true to His creatures. The promise of mercy, of which the beautiful rainbow is the sign, was made with every creature, even the small crawling things that went into and came out of the ark! This is recorded in the first book of the Bible: the answer is in the last book where every creature in heaven, earth and sea give glory to "Him that sits upon the throne".

Another sign of God's faithfulness is that the gospel has a message of hope for the whole creation although it is, of course, the men, women and children who hear and understand it. The book of the Acts shows especially the preaching of the Word of God, and the epistle to the Romans the teaching of it. Then the Gospels show its results in reaching persons. What effect has His word had upon you?

J.C.Evershed