Finding the Savior

The heavens are telling the glory of God;

and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

Day to day pours forth speech,

and night to night declares knowledge.

There is no speech, nor are there words;

their voice is not heard;

yet their voice goes out through all the earth,

and their words to the end of the world.

Psalm 19:1-4

When you look at art, you will see something of the artist.

Every painter, every potter, every sculptor, every musician, every poet will pour themselves into what they are creating. Often you will know the mood of the artist when you see or hear their work: maybe it was created during their “blue” period; or maybe it was something they made when they had just fallen in love; or maybe it reflects their hope.

It has been said that after Vincent van Gogh rediscovered the hope of the Gospel, his paintings started to reflect that hope; namely, his use of the color yellow was indicative of his hope. One can see a gradual increase in his use of yellow in his paintings as he grew older, capturing his sense of the warmth of the truth of God's love (from Scot McKnight, The Jesus Creed). The art gives us a sense of the artist.

When you look at the creation, you will see something of the Creator.

Throughout Scripture, we are told that creation—the handiwork of the Creator—declares the glory of God. Words are not necessary, for the majesty and creative beauty of the Divine Artist are evident in every detail. It is what we call natural revelation.

Natural revelation points us to the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. The canvas of the world gives us a glimpse into God's glory and majesty.

But natural revelation does not tell the whole story. While the creation points us to God, that alone is not enough to provide us with what we need to know in order to be reconciled to God in a relationship of peace and love. Creation gives us enough evidence of a grand and glorious God; and creation even humbles us and forces us to recognize that there are limits to what we can do, and that we are not super or divine or even holy in our own right; creation even makes us face our brokenness and our weakness (which, in turn, proclaims the truth that we are sinners).

Natural revelation is not enough. That's why God has revealed himself to us through his Word, the Bible. But even words were not enough, until God became incarnate in the form of his Son, Jesus Christ.

I am forever grateful for the beauty of the earth, and the majesty of the skies. Much of my photography is borne of my inspiration to capture something of God's glory. But as grateful as I am to behold God's glory in heaven and earth, I am even more eternally grateful to know God and his love through his Word, demonstrated perfectly for us once and for all in Jesus Christ.

Consider the world in all its beauty. Without saying a thing, the voice of creation goes out through all the earth. Listen to it, and heed the invitation: “You think this world is beautiful?” it says, “You should see my Creator. Indeed, you should see his Son, and then you will really know him.”