Beyond ourselves is Glory, Beyond yourself is God!

Beyond ourselves is Glory; Beyond yourself is God!

Did you ever think about the creation of life and how mysterious everything that lives has a beginning, growth, and the beauty it exudes bringing joy to someone?

Take the spores from a tree or some type of plant that are blown by the wind and land somewhere to be absorbed by the earth.  Of the billions of life giving offspring from that tree or plant at least an uncountable number will begin to grow in some manner of gestation.  How this occurs is a mystery, although science can give us a biological explanation of the process.  That in itself can be a challenge for the average mind to discern.  

Beyond the searching mind of man we will see in the Spring roses and other of nature's beauty popping out from the ground, or branches of its kind to bring its own glory to the eyes of humanity.  In spite of the mysterious process that occurs we can notice this all began with God’s Creation.

Now look at mankind.  From Genesis we hear of the pronouncement from God, “Let us make man in our image after our likeness.”   (Gn 1: 26).  Since God is a total Spirit without any human attributes, he still implants within the essence of man his own likeness.  As the human embryo is given life-giving properties of living flesh and blood from the eggs of a woman and the sperm of a man billions of new life after nine months of gestation emerge and are ready to give glory to their heavenly creator, God. 

This mystery, which we call humanity, should exemplify Almighty God and bring beauty to all that look upon the image of God.  Have we noticed the same admiration and awe towards this species as we show for a rose plant or the Cedars of Lebanon?  

Products of nature are there because of God.  Human beings are there because of God's presence within him. Can we see God’s image and likeness in this perfectly ordained species we call mankind?  Place a part of nature’s vegetation in our yard or on a table in our homes, we admire for a period of time, and  the beauty they add for all  to see.  Place one of the human beings before the world for all to hear or feel their ability, is the same awe present in man as with nature?  

An answer to this question lies in the mystery of the Glory that is beyond ourselves.  The mystery of yourself can only be found in God.  

Our image and our likeness, the words of the Holy Trinity are more than flesh and blood.  The very essence of God is Goodness, Purity, and Holiness that he presents to each of his human creatures before we were even born.  

Watch the mighty trees of Oak bend to withstand the winds of a storm.  Their strength comes through the elements found in the spores that created them.  Stand before the world of sin and most humans will break without the very holiness that is placed before us by a loving God.  His image is love, and his likeness is forgiveness.  The two attributes that God seeks from us.

My son, before he died, asked me what was important in the eyes of God.  My answer was these two statements from God.  With these in our possession there are no other signs that can be beyond ourselves.  

Ralph B.Hathaway