How Beautiful Are the Feet

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Todd D. Nystrom

Romans 10:13-18 – For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ¹⁴ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? ¹⁵ And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” ¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” ¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. ¹⁸ But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”

Taking a break and enjoying the view after the long hike up to Iceberg Lake. Glacier National Park, Montana.

Though the nature of my blog tends to focus on how God reveals himself to us through his creation, we also need to be reminded that we are called to a mission of evangelism. As Jesus command his disciples in Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation,” so too are we called to proclaim the gospel to the world.

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” This is the good news, the gospel, that Christians have been blessed to know and believe. It is also a message that needs to be shared in order for it to be effective. Today’s passage reminds us that the only way others will hear of Christ, believe in him, and actually be able to call on his name and be saved, is if there are “preachers” who are sent.

When Paul writes about “those who preach the good news” I doubt that he is only referring to the ordained ministers who get up in front of a congregation every Sunday to preach a sermon. I am certain that Christ’s imperative in Mark 16:15 to, “go into all the world and proclaim the gospel,” was not just a one-time command that applied only to the disciples.

As Christians we are all sent to proclaim, to preach, the good news of Jesus Christ to a lost world. Our mission field could be as close as the house next door or as far away as “the ends of the world.” The next person to “call on the name of the Lord” could be a co-worker in the cubicle across the hall or an orphan in some distant land. But, whatever your calling may be, make sure that yours are some of those beautiful feet.

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You, Lord, Laid the Foundation

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Todd D. Nystrom

Hebrews 1:10-12 – And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; ¹¹ they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, ¹² like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”

An unusual view of the waterfall on Flat Fork Creek. Caesar Creek State Park, Waynesville, Ohio.

This photograph was possible only because of a solid foundation afforded by the thick ice resulting from the recent sub-zero temperatures here in southwest Ohio. Of course the weather will eventually warm up, the ice will melt, and this foundation will be lost, though not anytime soon according to the forecasts.

If we put our faith in the permanence of the things of this world, like the ice in this photo they will eventually disappear, and we will be disappointed. However, if we put our faith in the Lord who “laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,” in “Jesus Christ [who] is the same yesterday and today and forever,” (Hebrews 13:8) we will never be disappointed and will always have a solid foundation to stand on.

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We Were Dead in Our Trespasses

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Todd D. Nystrom

Ephesians 2:1-9 – And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ² in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience–³ among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. ⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved–⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Fallen sycamore leaf on a wet, algae-covered rock. Caesar Creek Gorge State Nature Preserve, Oregonia, Ohio.

From the world’s perspective people are all basically good, it is just that sometimes we make mistakes, or the circumstances of our lives or upbringing cause us to do bad things. This, “basic goodness of humanity” philosophy is quite pervasive in the world today, even among some Christians. This philosophy is deceitful. It is like looking at this fallen sycamore leaf, seeing the green that remains, and presuming that the “greenness” is a sign the leaf is still alive.

In fact, as we read in today’s passage from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, we are all “dead in” our “trespasses and sins.” We are not just a little bad; we are “sons of disobedience” who are “following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air,” Satan, that is. We need to realize this is not just a case of being sick and needing a little medicine to make us better, just like this sycamore leaf, we are dead!

Thankfully, the story does not end here for those who are in Christ. Thankfully, we have a merciful and loving God who, “even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.” Make no mistake, though, without Christ’s atoning sacrifice, without his blood shed on the cross to pay the price for our sins, we would remain “children of wrath,” fully deserving of the eternal punishment God would mete out for all of our trespasses.

And, lest we think we can make it right on our own, through good works, or trying a little harder, or by being a little nicer person, we need to remember what Paul says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

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Praise the LORD from the Earth, You…Snow

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Todd D. Nystrom

Psalm 148:7-13 – Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, ⁸ fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! ⁹ Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! ¹⁰ Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds! ¹¹ Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! ¹² Young men and maidens together, old men and children! ¹³ Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven.

Freshly fallen snow blankets the trees in our back yard early this morning. Morrow, Ohio.

Here is another great passage from the book of Psalms where we read about all the earth praising the Lord, even the snow! It is not too difficult to see God’s handiwork in an enchanted scene like this. And yet, Psalm 148 tells us it is not just the majestic and beautiful parts of creation, but even the fire, hail, mist, and stormy winds that fulfill his word.

God in his sovereignty commands all of his creation; he can create storms (Jonah 1:4) and he can calm storms (Mark 4:39). With all of his magnificence on display in the world around us it should be evident, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

So, who is it that is without excuse? Not only does the psalmist tell us who it is, the “Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and maidens together, old men and children!” He then goes on to tell us what it is that they should be doing and why, “Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven.”

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