I'm sitting in the yard.. When... a beautiful slate gray bird hops upon the back of a chair at the end of my porch. He loudly sings. "Peter Peter" "Peter Peter"
He perches there for several measured notes, undaunted by my or my dogs presence. Soon this beautiful Tufted Titmouse flies off to another branch to continue his proclamation of joy.
I am reminded of once when a mother bird (don't remember the species) made a nest on backside of our basketball goal. We went to lower the goal and unknowingly caused the nest to loose a few of its baby birds. Wanting to correct my mistake I got a ladder and tried to put the babies back, (I was careful not to touch them.)
I could not believe my ears nor my eyes. I think every bird in my yard put out the word and before I could climb the ladder I was being attacked. Not just by the mother bird but from several other species of birds that lived in my yard. The sounds of warning were clear so I let them settle down and was later successful in getting the babies back to their mother, but not before I learned that the birds had a clear system of warning and communication that they used to help one another. When it comes to life, nature has a voice. Nature is God's creation. Nature is truth. God listens to the witness that nature brings.
The earth is alive with the Spirit of God. It is why when after a dark dreary winter, I am rejuvenated by the song of a bird or the bloom of a flower. It is why I can walk upon the shore of the beach and feel God's love reaching across the sands of time to envelope me and give me understanding. It is why the mere color of green brings me great delight and cheers my soul. It is why my Titmouse reminded me to respect God's love and that the Earth does have a voice.
Here is a video link that speaks to how mother earth has taught each of its creations to respect life. It shows that when it comes to mothering, species will respect life above differences. I have often been told that God is no respecter of persons. Here we see that God's Nature is not a respecter of different species.
Check out this video of how animal mother's respect life. A Leopard and a monkey
Cain did not respect life. Cain did not respect the creator of life, our Heavenly Father. He chose in stead to serve Satan and to live his life in the land of Nod away from the presence of God, as a vagabond, desolate and misunderstood. When he chose to allow anger and pride rule his life, he chose to leave God's presence and travel alone. He won his brother's possessions but lost his feel for life.
Cain lost the ability to feel the Holy Ghost when he denied his responsibility in Abels death and rejected the Lord's "greater counsel" (Moses 5:25). The only way to keep Satan from "having" us is to keep God's commandments and to choose the life that Mother Earth and our Father in Heaven have given us.
When do I feel the most alive? When I am near God's earthly creations, or when I am in the service of God. When I am learning about God, visiting with those who love God, or teaching others. Either of these translate to being able to feel the presence of God's Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost. I feel most alive when I am doing the errand of angels, and following the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
What drew me to this understanding? In reading about how the Lord cursed Cain, I was struck by the fact that the earth was so involved. The Earth is God's creation. We are God's creation. And when Cain chose to love Satan more than God, he basically chose to deny his sins and reject the Holy Ghost. It became about selfish desire. His life aim became focused on selfish pleasure. And then he killed his brother.
Where did God hear about Abel's death? From the "voice of his blood which cried out from the ground." As I listened to my Titmouse proclaim his news this morning, I am convinced that the voice of the earth comes in the form of birds, animals, fauna who all inherently know truth.
Note that in verse 36 the Lord tells Cain that he shall be "cursed from the earth" and that the "Earth opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood." And the cursing was that Cain would no longer be abel to have the "strength of the Earth" when he tilled the ground? Why? Because Cain showed blatant disrespect for life, life that Mother Earth has given us to esteem, to protect and to use for our eternal growth not for selfish secret combinations that bring Mahan and dearth.
So As I listened to my Titmouse proclaim her joy, I was glad that she felt Joy this day. Joy for life. Joy for her family. Joy for the other creatures that she shares the forest and the bird feeder with. I was glad to hear the Voice of the Earth and I was reminded how God's Earth will stand as a witness for all that choose to serve him. My only wish is that I can sing my song as beautifully as the Titmouse. That I can learn to proclaim truth in such as way that it too will bring joy to all the earth.
Verses of Note
9. "Am I my brother's keeper" When we serve God, we learn that the strength of God is found in the strength of friendships, in serving, in loving. in listening.
10 - the voice of thy brother's blood - Is this possible. Yes. Why because we are all connected to the earth. We are of the dust of the earth. The earth was created and is monitored by God's love and laws.
11 - cursed from the earth - there are many ways the earth will curse those who choose not to respect life.
11- opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood - I am intrigued by this. I love how the Lord helps us realize that the Earth is a living breathing creation able to "open her mouth".
12- not yield unto thee her strength - Respect begets respect.
14- from thy face I shall be hid - Cain had only to acknowledge his part in his brother's death. He refused. He chose instead to be cast from the presence of God. He lost all hope because he chose to love Satan more. There is always hope when we choose to love God and stay in his presence.
15- The Lord set a mark upon Cain - Why? He basically promised Cain that he wouldn't die and that living with the mark would prove to be a greater punishment than being killed by others for his part in the death of Abel. Cain is responsible not for the first death, but for the first premeditated murder to get gain. His mere presence would remind others of his purpose and insight in them the desire to kill him. But in doing so they would then be caught in the same trap that Cain had been trapped in. By placing a mark upon him, others are not only reminded of Cain's purpose and mistake, but of God's vengeance. Of the darkness that he brought upon himself when in choosing gain over God his actions keep him from the presence of God's love.
I've wondered why God wouldn't just allow Cain to die. God has to follow the laws of the universe just as we do. If he had allowed Cain to perish then how would he have been showing mercy. God does show mercy when he choose to give him a mark that will set him apart and remind others and Cain of his mistakes.
No comments:
Post a Comment