THE MAKER OF THE UNIVERSE

Good Christmas morning dear friends. I pray that as you wake up to the rustling of gifts being unwrapped, the smell of coffee and bacon wafting through the house, the cries of joy as what someone has been wanting has appeared...that you would remember the REASON FOR THE SEASON...the entrance of the Saviour of the world...via a little baby.

I went outside last night...after the last family member left our house. We had a house full of laughing adults, screaming and hyperactive kids, deep fried Cajun Turkey, deep fried hot wings, and a plethora of food that was fit for a king. It felt good to leave the house...that still reverberated with the noise of the evening...and walk out into the still, cool, calm night.

I was soaking in the peaceful feeling as I decompressed from the busyness of the season...and looked up and saw twinkling stars...and a large, bright, full moon. I was overwhelmed by the beauty...and began to reflect back in time of the various skies that I have observed over the past few years. I remembered the first mission trip that we took to Mexico at the Rio Bravo Orphanage...and how in the midst of the poverty...the sky was rich with scattered diamonds. I recalled the Amazon River that swept throughout Peru...and the lushness of the rain forest...and how as I lay under an open hut...the canopy of stars...that seemed to engulf the entire landscape. I can remember watching one shooting star after another as if it was a private fireworks demonstration for me. I can still sense the palpable sensation of being in the middle of an African night, listening to the animals sing their lullaby to us as I drifted off to sleep in a place thousands of miles away from where I was standing last night...but the same sky...the same moon...the same sense of awe was in Rockvale Tennessee as it was in Mexico, Peru, and Africa.

The first picture that you see in today's Rambling...is of Phil Keaggy. Phil has always had a special place in my life...in that this humble troubadour...points me to the Father with his music. As I write this Rambling...I am listening to an album by Phil...called Way Back Home. It is a personal look at Phil's life and his trust in an awesome God.

One song that he wrote was taken from a poem that he found in a devotional collection by H.A. Ironside...that was first released in 1941. The devotional is called THE CONTINUAL BURNT OFFERING...and is" based on Exodus 29:42... that speaks of a "continual burnt offering" which was ever to be ascending to God from the brazen altar, where the people drew near to meet with the Lord as worshippers, to offer their praises and thanksgiving. Morning by morning and evening by evening a new burnt offering was placed on the altar that there might be NO INTERRUPTION in that which was intended to set forth the adoration of Israel to Him who had redeemed them." (H.A. Ironside 1941)

The poem that Phil set to music was by F.W. Pitt...called Maker of the Universe.

It speaks of the Maker...the creator of the Universe...who created the very things that were used to kill His Son.

The Maker of the Universe
As Man, for man was made a curse
The claims of Law which He had made
Unto the uttermost He paid

His holy fingers made the bough
Which grew the thorns that crowned His brow
The nails that pierced His hands were minded
In secret places He designed

He made the forest whence there sprung
The trees on which His body hung
He died upon a cross of wood
Yet made the hill on which it stood

The sky that darkened o'er His head
By Him above the earth was spread
The sun that hid from Him it's face
By His decree was poised in space

The spear which spilled His precious blood
Was tempered in the fires of God
The grave in which His form was laid
Was hewn in rocks His hands had made

The throne on which He now appears
Was His from everlasting years
But a new glory crowns His brow
And every knee to Him shall bow.

Elvis Presley...a talented...fallable...rock and roll singer...had deep roots in gospel music. No matter how high he rose in the eyes of the world...and no matter how far he fell...he always was comforted in his tortured mind by gospel music...much like King Saul with the harp of David. He would surround himself with gospel singers...and on tour would stop the adoration of Elvis...the King of Rock and Roll...and let the gospel singers focus on the King of Kings...including King Elvis. One song that he would love to have sung was...HOW GREAT THOU ART.

As I stood outside of my house on the Eve of the birth of my Saviour...I was soaking in the grandeur of the heavens...and echoing...HOW GREAT THOU ART.

Oh Lord my God...when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds thy hands have made....

"For God so loved the WORLD...that he GAVE His only begotten Son, that whoever BELIEVES in Him should not perish, but have everlasting/eternal life."
(John 3:16) That would be you. He loved you so much...that He allowed His son to be crucified in your place...with the very things that He had created.

Some say that they can't believe in someone...or something that they cannot SEE. Of course...that does not stop them from believing in the air that they breath...because they experience the effect of said air.

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who SUPPRESS the truth in unrighteousness...because that which is KNOWN ABOUT GOD...is EVIDENT within them; for God made it evident TO THEM. For since the CREATION OF THE WORLD...His INVISIBLE ATTRIBUTES...His ETERNAL POWER...and DIVINE NATURE...have been CLEARLY SEEN...being understood through what HAS BEEN MADE...so that they are WITHOUT EXCUSE." (Romans 1:18-20)

This Christmas season would be a good time...to lay aside the masks that we were in denial of who He is...go outside of the hustle and bustle of this crazy world...look up in the created sky...and breath deep the breath of God. There are no more excuses. The maker of the universe took time to leave his throne to come down on your level...so He could raise you up to His level. OH LORD MY GOD...HOW GREAT THOU ART.

Love and Kisses of the Wonders of His Love
Rodney "One Of The Loved" Boyd