The Mind of Christ in His World: Part 1 (3)

His head and hair werewhite like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet werelike fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters… Revelation 1.14, 15

Glory in images
Throughout the Scriptures, God uses images from the created world, including culture, to refer to Himself, His attributes, or His plan. These are so many and so familiar that we can easily overlook the meaning they convey, or fail to think with the mind of Christ about why these images are so apt. We can fail to see what those images suggest about the glory of God and the mind of Christ – whether we encounter them in His Word or in His world.

Consider just a few of these: God’s people are like arrows, which God uses to subdue His enemies (Zech. 9.12). His voice is like the thunder and roar of mighty oceans (Ps. 29.3, 4). He is wise like the ant and everywhere present like the lizard (Prov. 24-28). He is the clothes-maker for lilies (Matt. 6.30) and the caterer of birds (Matt. 6.26). A single blade of grass contains mysteries relating to His Kingdom (Mk. 4.26-28). We could multiply such images by the score.

God wants us to know Him, and so He speaks to us in familiar terms and says, “I’m a little like that.”

As we observe the creation and culture around us, we’ll be making a collection of objects and impressions that can lead to fruitful reflecting on the glory and mind of Christ. By learning to associate what we have observed with descriptions of God we read from His Word, we take up the second discipline of the glorious work of creational theology.

Resting in thought
“This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas…” From this point on, as you are reading your Bible, use your creational theology notebook to jot down instances in which God refers to Himself in everyday forms or terms. Keep a list of these going and growing. From time to time, reflect at length on one of these images as part of your time in God’s Word. Rest in thoughts of what God may be showing you of His glory or mind in the observations you make each day. What is God saying about Himself in this item? How does He use this situation to help us know Him?

God uses familiar, everyday things and experiences to teach us something about Him and His mind. As we learn to reflect on the way He does this in His Word, we’ll be training our minds to do the same as we observe such things in His world. We will learn to associate created things with how God usescreated things to reveal Himself in His Word.

By doing this, you will train your mind to make the associations between creation and Scripture that can help to bring out the light of God’s glory in your daily observations. Scripture must be the touchstone and standard for all our work in creational theology, so the more time you invest in listing and meditating on these Biblical references to creation and what they say to us of God, the better equipped you’ll be to tease out the hidden glory of God in your daily observations.

Some examples of association
A lengthy thunderstorm has just passed through our drought-parched community. Shall we merely ascribe this welcome relief to the chance vicissitudes of wind and humidity? Shall we grouse and complain, as doubtless many will, that it’s all too little, too late?

No; instead, we will acknowledge the voice of the almighty God as He thunders His steadfast love and faithfulness upon a largely ungrateful people, who take for granted His common grace, even as they spurn the grace He offers them in Jesus Christ. But we will be reminded that His voice is like many waters – threatening, perhaps, but refreshing, timely, and just what we need at any moment – and we will lift our voices with thanksgiving and praise to the God Who speaks to us in the rain, and everywhere.

Or when the gas flame leaps to life on our oven top, we’ll see the glory of God in it, watching over us with the eyes of Christ, providing for our enjoyment and wellbeing through the mystery and reliability of fire.

We’ll allow the colors of the world to speak to us of the majesty, purity, and beauty of Christ. And as we do, we’ll be more aware of His presence, and more attuned to His purposes and plans.

Scripture teaches us to associate things we see in creation with some aspect of God or His mind. By paying attention to such images and references in His Word, devoting ourselves to understanding them as deeply and completely as we can, we’ll be more alert to the ways things in God’s world point to Him as well.

Remember, the same God is speaking to us in His Word and His world. The mind of Christ lies back of all God’s revelation, whatever the source. By observing the world more carefully, and understanding the uses God makes of creation in His Word, we’ll be able to associate our observations with the glory and mind of Christ which are being revealed to us in His world, and this will help us immensely in our ongoing effort to be renewed in the mind of the Lord.

For reflection
1.  Today, find something else to contemplate. This time, choose something which God uses in Scripture to reveal Himself. Meditate on God’s use of this item. What do you learn about Him?

2.  Throughout the day, jot down as many observations of this item as you see – where you see it, what it looks like, how it’s being used. Do you discern anything more about God in these observations?

3.  At the end of the day, rest in thought about these observations. What has God shown you about Himself? Did paying attention to this item make you more aware of the presence of God with you throughout the day? Do you feel your mind being shaped to think about God in new ways? Give Him thanks and praise.

Next steps – Transformation: Begin giving thanks to God each time you make an observation and jot it down. You’ll see how practicing creational theology can be a great help in learning to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5.17).

T. M. Moore

This is part 6 of a multi-part series on the Christian mind. To download this week’s study as a free PDF, click here. To learn more about creational theology, order a copy of T. M.’s book, Consider the Lilies (click here).

Brush up on your Christian worldview, and stretch your mind to think about life and the world as Jesus does. Our free online course, One in Twelve: Introduction to Christian Worldview, can provide the categories, terms, and framework for you to begin nurturing a more expansive Christian mind. For more information and to register, click here.

How’s your knowledge of the Bible, as to its primary themes, overall development, and Christ-centeredness? Order a copy of our workbook, God’s Covenant, and spend 13 glorious weeks working your way through the whole of Scripture, examining key themes and tracing the development of God’s precious and very great promises (click here). Or sign up for our course, Introduction to Biblical Theology, and discover the best ways of getting at, getting into, and getting with the Word of God. The course is free and online, and you can study at your own pace and depth. For more information or to register, click here.
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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.