Let All the Earth Keep Silence

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Todd D. Nystrom

Habakkuk 2:18-20 – What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! ¹⁹ Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it. ²⁰ But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.

Kentucky’s Natural Arch (not to be confused with Natural Bridge). Natural Arch Scenic Area, Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky.

On this particular January day two years ago we were hiking the Buffalo Canyon Trail in the Natural Arch Scenic Area of the Daniel Boone National Forest. We saw a few other people around the arch, but pretty much had the entire five mile trail to ourselves. The silence was amazing and was interrupted only periodically by the sound of large icicles crashing down from the cliffs above.

One of the big reasons I enjoy getting out into the wilderness is the opportunity to get away from the cacophony of life in the modern world. With televisions, computers, cell phones, and countless other noise-making, electronic devices vying for our attention every day, we barely have time to hear our own thoughts, let alone time to listen to the voice of our God and Creator, and reflect on his greatness.

Not only does the wilderness give us a chance to see and experience the beauty of God’s creation, it also forces us to turn off the electronic devices we have all come to depend on, often to the point of idolatry. Do we trust the voices we hear through these creations of man, more than we trust the voice of God that we hear through his creation and through his words in the Bible? These devices are useful tools, but not worthy of the time and attention we give them.

Take some time away, even if only for a few hours, and put away these idols of glass, metal, and plastic. Get out into God’s creation, marvel at his amazing handiwork, listen to his voice, and “let all the earth keep silence before him.”

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New Web Page: Kentucky’s Red River Gorge

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Todd D. Nystrom

I have added a new page to toddthehiker.wordpress.com featuring many new photos of Kentucky’s Red River Gorge along with trail descriptions, maps to trailheads, and a list of resources including recommended books and maps. This is not intended to be a complete guide to the area, just a sample to whet your appetite.

New Page: Kentucky’s Red River Gorge

Autumn colors along Auxier Ridge Looking Out to Courthouse Rock, Red River Gorge, Slade, Kentucky.

My Grace Is Sufficient

Posted on December 29, 2013 by Todd D. Nystrom

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 – So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

A remote bluff with a scenic view a quarter of a mile off of Rough Trail. Red River Gorge, Slade, Kentucky.

I always carry a well-stocked first aid kit along with quite a bit of survival gear when we hike. Some would probably accuse me of being a little overstocked. I suppose I could trim down what I carry a bit, but leading groups of people on hikes, sometimes in fairly remote places, I would rather err on the side of caution and be ready to handle any emergency that might arise.

There are a number of well known “pastors” out there today who preach a terrible distortion of the Christian message, known as the prosperity gospel. Promises of health, wealth, and happiness abound in their teachings. Following Christ does not mean we will be successful in everything that we do, not even in our ministry efforts, nor does it mean we will be richly rewarded in the form or earthly treasures. Neither does being a follower of Christ mean that we will be free from sickness or injury.

Paul does not tell us specifically what his “thorn…in the flesh” is in today’s passage. We do not know whether this weakness of Paul’s was an illness, injury, or some mental or spiritual challenge he was facing. Regardless of the particular affliction, Paul was obviously bringing it to the Lord in prayer, but apparently to no avail. God’s answer to Paul was simply, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

How many of us can actually say that we would be “content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities?” I can only pray that someday I might be blessed with this kind of faith. I can only pray that someday “I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” May we all be blessed to realize, whatever afflictions and weaknesses we experience in life, that God’s grace, won through the blood of Christ, is the only thing we really need.

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Nazareth to Bethlehem

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Todd D. Nystrom

4^th Sunday in Advent

Luke 2:1-5 – In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ And all went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

Stopping for lunch and giving our feet some rest at a scenic spot off of Rough Trail. Red River Gorge, Slade, Kentucky.

I have never had the opportunity to travel to Israel, but thanks to the technology of Google Maps I was quickly able to determine that the distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem, via modern day roads, is about 100 miles. Although the Bible provides no details of Joseph and Mary’s journey, their likely means of travel given their social status, was either by foot or possibly, in the best of conditions, riding on a donkey. Either way, it was a long and difficult trip.

More than 700 years before the birth of Christ the prophet Micah foretold the place of the Messiah’s birth, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” (Micah 5:2) The reason Joseph and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem in the first place was because of the decree from Caesar Augustus, someone who did not even acknowledge the God of the Israelites. If not for his decree there would have been no reason for a poor carpenter from Nazareth and his pregnant betrothed to make the difficult trip to Bethlehem. When you stop to consider the events that took place to ensure the fulfillment of this prophesy you realize just how incredible they are, and perhaps you can begin to understand the sovereignty of God.

Now translate that understanding into the circumstances of your own life and you may begin to think differently about the things that take place on any given day. When you put your trust in Christ you are turning your life over to the sovereign God, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, the one who had planned, in great detail, the birth of a Savior for his people, “whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.”

Read more about my “God is Revealed…“ category of posts