Do you know that God uses the universe he created to speak to us? Everywhere you look, it is declaring the goodness and greatness of our amazing God!

A while ago, I was in an airplane next to a man who claimed to be an atheist. So, I asked him, “So, are you against religion as much as I am?” He had already asked me what I did as a profession, and I told him I was a pastor. He was shocked and said, “Isn’t that an oxymoron? You said you are a pastor, and yet you are against religion?” I said, “Yes, the self-righteous religiosity of man is the root cause of everything that is against God in this world.” He looked perplexed and confused. You see, his experience of religion made him perceive it as trying to be good enough to deserve. We often don’t realize that the most wicked and vile thing in God’s sight is trying to be righteous or good enough to earn a right standing with him.

Romans 1:18-21 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.  For, ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Many who claim Christianity are the very ones who are preventing the real truth of God’s grace and mercy from being made known. The old covenant, the law, points us to our failure and sin, but the new covenant is the Good News (Gospel) of our right-standing before God as granted by the blood of Jesus. The most dangerous thing a person can do is to try to earn God’s favor through their own righteousness. 

Galatians 3:10-14 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly, no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus so that by faith, we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

When Adam and Eve sinned against God, they entered into a life of condemnation and failure, trying to be good enough to be right with God. There is a far better way to serve God – it is by living in His grace! The universe loudly declares the reality of a powerful, creative, eternal God who is passionately in love with us. Romans 2:4 tells us that it is the loving-kindness of God that draws us to a place of changing our minds. I want to encourage you to allow God’s compassion and goodness to penetrate your heart today! He is longing to be gracious to you! You must believe it! Whether you are looking at a worm, an ant, an elephant, a tree, the ocean, the stars, or anything else in all of creation, you will hear the declaration of God himself! He wants everyone to know of his crazy, amazing love! The religious ways of self-righteousness are trying to drown out the loving voice of God being proclaimed in the universe!

My dear friend, he is in love with you and has paid for all your mistakes and failures! He is speaking right now…

ARE YOU LISTENING?