For God who said,
“Let light shine
out of the darkness . . .”
has shone in our hearts
to give us the light
of the knowledge
of the glory of God
in Christ Jesus.
(2 Corinthians 4:6)
When I look around my life with my eyes wide open, I notice the glories God has created both in the heavens and on the earth. When I look further, I stand amazed at the variety of beauties and wonders revealed in the wide variety of trees, flowers, birds, animals and fish—all good gifts from our Creator and Father. When I look even further into the eyes and the hearts of people around me, I cannot but recognize God’s Glory shining forth in the uniqueness of each of God’s own children created in His Image to praise and know and be blessed by Him through lives of obedience and faith. God truly does all things well. His Creation, His divinely designed nature, and every person, reveals all clearly and powerfully declare His Glory. So, when it comes to history, both my heart and my mind, recognize what seems to be the truth—wise and godly people speak of His Story and not of history. If you understand my thinking, you will not be surprised at my last two lists: My Ten Most Pivotal HIS-torical Events and My Ten Most Admired HIS-istorical Figures.
Psalms 104:24-25 ESV
O LORD, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom have you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
Here is the sea, great and wide,
which teems with creatures innumerable,
living things both small and great.
Among so many other gifts from his heritage, my father gave me a love for history. In fact, I almost chose history as my major rather than English while I studied at the University of Montevallo. In the end the more creative side of me won out as I majored in English and minored in history. I actually took almost as many history courses as English, and I thoroughly enjoyed them all. In fact, as I have studied the Bible more and more over the years, I have marveled at the historicity of the Good News as divinely inspired and written according to God’s Spirit.
My Ten Most Pivotal Historical Events
The more I read both history and His Story, the more convinced I become; Jesus is at the heart of both. So, the Bible begins and ends with God’s eternal plan to reveal His glory through the process of Jesus serving as the unique focus of those looking forward from Creation and the Fall. Then some of those blessed to look personally upon Jesus in-the-flesh, recognize Him as God among them. Now we look forward to the culmination of all history and His Story, when New Heaven and New Earth are established—and we see God and the redeemed in Jesus at last living in the midst of His Glory and in the sharing the perfect joy they experience together because of His Love.
My Ten Most Admired Historical Figures
NOTE: Of all my writing efforts, my attempt at naming ten most admired historical figures proved most difficult. So, I would in no way suggest that my choices as written, reflect anything more significant than very personal preferences and perhaps, prejudices. In HIS STORY or in HISTORY there are far, far too many people who have lived admirably—being used by God to continue His progress in redeeming His world. Often God has used rather despicable rulers and others to accomplish His Purpose. After all, He is God and they are not. Nebuchadnezzar comes to mind. The point is: our faithful God is faithfully crafting and shaping HIS STORY and HISTORY for His eternal purpose—REDEMPTION and SALVATION. Someday in GLORY we will all be surprised as Process and His People are revealed. After all He is the ALPHA and the OMEGA.
Hebrews 13:8 ESV
Jesus is the same
yesterday, today and forever.