Are You My Father?

I wonder if Darwin realized the impact and hubbub his little book, Origin of Species, would cause? Did he ever ponder what effects his theory might have? As he was writing, did Darwin lay down his pen and think, "This will change the world?" It would be curious to know if he ever considered other scientific guesses such as Aristotle's theory of Spontaneous Generation that crippled science until it was proven wrong before he published his work. Fast forward to today, and the world is still trying to unravel Darwin's theory. The Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly will be taking a vote to ban creationism and intelligent design from schools. Thus, only evolution will be taught. The Council argues that only radical religion and extremists believe in intelligent design. Perhaps they have over looked the fact that one has to be pretty crazy (or have extreme faith) to believe all of mankind evolved from monkeys?

One could use all sorts of scientific arguments to combat evolution. A person could site the complexity of the human eye or how the brain sends signals without our help to the heart to keep pumping and to the lungs to keep breathing. Or one could look to the human cell, as microbiologist Michael Denton explains, "What we would then see would be an object of unparalleled complexity and adaptive design" (1.). However, one of the first things I learned in Junior High science class was: science can't prove anything. What science does do is point, like a bright neon sign, to Creator God. "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse" (Romans 1:20, NIV).

So in an appeal to logic, we turn to a different avenue. Mankind throughout the ages has turned to gods and religions to fulfill their inner desires and to answer questions of life and death: "What is ultimate reality? What is the nature of the world? What is the nature of humanity? What is humanity's primary problem? What happens after death?" (2.). The authors of the college textbook, Communications Between Cultures, comment: "Whether it is the teachings of the Bible, Vedas, Koran, Torah, or I Ching, people have always felt a need to look outside themselves for the values they use to manage their lives and guidance on how to view and explain the world" (3.).

Therefore, if non-Christians and Christians alike agree that man has "always felt a need" to search for a being beyond themselves, how can anyone believe in Evolution? Evolution preaches man is the ultimate. Through random chance, he evolved from pond scum to ape to human. If man has evolved and keeps on evolving toward perfection, why do we all need a being greater and outside ourselves to fulfill us? Why has man always needed a Greater Being help him in life if he has and is doing it all on his own as evolution teaches?

None of us would ever take a look at an ape sitting in a zoo and say, "I wonder what his offspring will invent." No one sends a guerrilla a birthday card because he's a "distant relative." Darwin wrote Origin of Species because he, like all of us, was looking for answers to the meaning of life. Evolution and science is not the end-all. Instead, both send man on a quest to find what they point to: Christ Jesus. For those who persist in this hunt, great is their reward: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be open" (Matthew 7:7,8).

--Hannah

Endnotes:

1. Halverson, Dean C., The Compact Guide to World Religions. Minnesota: Bethany House Publishers p. 13

2. Samovar, Larry A.; Porter, Richard E.; McDaniel, Edwin R., Cummnication Between Cultures 6th ed. California: Thomson Learning, Inc. p. 75

3. Halverson, Dean C., The Compact Guide to World Religions. Minnesota: Bethany House Publishers p. 22

On the Threshing Floor

Imagine being childless in a culture that sees children as a blessing and then losing your husband with no immediate opportunity to add a child to your family. If a son was produced, then the family lineage would continue. Without a son and a husband, you now have no opportunity for security through inheritance, no one to look after you in your later years, no hope or future. In addition, your current provision disappears since your extended family, father-in-law and brother-in-law, both died.

In the same situation, your mother-in-law intends to return to her homeland. She's heard that her god was providing for his people there in the midst of a famine. The lack of food originally drove your father-in-law to your homeland where food was present. That is how you met your husband.

Now, your mother-in-law is leaving for her place of birth and encourages you and your sister-in-law to go to your home, to marry again, and then sends you off with a blessing from her god. Your sister-in-law decides she will go back. Possessing nothing, you decide to leave your homeland to follow your marital family's god. Out of your mouth, you declare to your mother-in-law, "Where you go, I will go. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God."

You pause momentarily and ponder where those words of dedication originate. You decide that a continuing relationship with her is sweet for the soul. With nothing to lose, the two of you head out.

Arriving at Bethlehem, your mother-in-law, Naomi, is greeted by the townspeople, her relatives and friends. They are excited; Naomi exclaims that she is bitter and explains that her Lord has afflicted her.

Since it is harvest time when you arrive, Naomi instructs you to glean the fields of barley. Turns out that Naomi's God and the God of this people, has instructed those who plant to not harvest ever single grain or fruit of the crop of the field.

As you gather the grain, the wealthy, influential owner of the field greets all of the workers with blessings from his God. He tells you that he has instructed the men working to not interfere with you, and, when you are thirsty, you may drink from the jars of water filled by men.

You stand in wonder because this man has treated you with respect, showing kindness and protection. You were used to filling jars with water for the men, not the other way around.

"Why," you ask, "are you showing me this favor? I am a foreigner in your land." The wealthy owner responds and says he has been informed of the reason for your recent journey, the kindness you have shown your mother-in-law, and then blesses you once again in the name of his God. Later, he invites you to share in his meal.

When you arrive at your home, Naomi seems to no longer be depressed. She proclaims the wonder of her God, telling you He has not stopped showing His kindness. She proceeds to tell you that the owner who has shown you kindness is Boaz, a close relative, a kinsman-redeemer, who can buy your husband's land and even wed you.

Armed with this information, Naomi instructs you to bathe, perfume and prepare yourself to go to Boaz this evening. Specifically, notice where he lies down for the evening but do not let him see you. Uncover his feet, lie down and he will tell you what to do.

Motivated by love for your mother-in-law and the kindness of strangers, you obey Naomi. In the middle of the night, Boaz wakes to find you at his feet but he does not know it is you. He asks your name and you respond with, "I am your servant, Ruth. Spread the corner of your garment over me since you are a kinsman-redeemer."

Boaz responds by blessing you in the name of his God. He compliments your character and respect for elders - it's all over town; he noticed that you did not lie down at the feet of a younger man and is blessed by your kindness. He then tells you that another kinsman-redeemer exists who is first in line to your husband's land and will give him the opportunity to redeem. However, if he does not redeem, Boaz swears to you by his God, the LORD, that he will.
Wanting to return the kindness and preserve Boaz's reputation, you leave for home before morning carrying your shawl full of the grain Boaz poured into it, six measures! He continues to be generous to you.

Later in the day, word reaches you that Boaz has proclaimed his relationship of kinsman-redeemer with you in front of the town elders. He presented the facts to the relative first in line for redeeming your husband's land who was set to take the land until he found that a widow was also involved. At that discovery, he said he was unable to fulfill and proceeded to release his right to the land and to Ruth.

Having cleared the only hurdle to becoming a kinsman-redeemer, Boaz declares his intentions to the elders and those in attendance: To redeem the property of Naomi and to wed you.

The elders and those at the gate proceed to bless...YOU!

Time has passed but where you are now, time does not exist. You are endowed with looking at the past with a complete understanding not found while you lived on earth. You can now see the grand plan conceived prior to time.

• After the wedding to Boaz, the Creator opened your womb. You conceived and gave birth to a son, Obed.
• Your son, Obed, fathered Jesse who was the father to King David, whose lineage brought forth, the Son of God, Jesus the Christ.
• Christ became your kinsman-redeemer, you now see. He was the only One who could save you. You had nothing within you to save yourself - no right to inheritance, a stranger and alien to God's chosen people, His elect.
• In fact, you realize that your people and heritage were declared enemies of God. His Kinsman-Redeemer, Christ, received God's wrath that you were due as His enemy.
• You marvel how God chose you to be in His family. You see now His desire worked out in your life when you left your homeland with your mother-in-law despite her encouragement to you to stay.
• The story, you see and tell everyone you meet (and they back to you), is really all about the Holy One Whose plans and purposes to glorify Himself were decreed before time and continue to be carried out as He designed.
• As you tell those you meet, you hear:

"Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." Revelation 15:3-4

--CM

Music Review: Superchic[k] Beauty From Pain (2005)

Inpop Records

Genre: Pop/Rock

Style: Girl rock band, cross between Black Eyed Peas, Barlow Girls, and TobyMac

World View:

"Here's to the one's who don't give up." "Get your hands up." "Today's your day/ So c'mon bring it on." "You need that boy like a bowling ball dropped on your head/ Which means not at all." These are just some of the lines from the songs in Beauty From Pain. Although Superchic[k] is a Christian artist, they do not openly sing about God. The closest they get is "...And let somebody know that the Most High cares...", "Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above...", and "...You will bring beauty from my pain..." Who is this unknown deity Superchic[k] is singing about? These terms, Most High, You, and [gifts from] above, can be used in almost any religion, but they do say in their "I would like to thank..." paragraphs that they thank God and "Jesus, my Lord and Savior" for the blessings of recording another album. Yes, that's nice, but Nickelback says the same thing and they are a secular group that I do not recommend. Superchic[k]'s songs are mainly about relationships that didn't make it. Many music groups and singers come from the same angle and many of them are secular. Why do "Christian" artists need to sound like the world? Yes, you may sell more albums, but does it have any Biblical truths, any meat, that Christians can sink their teeth into? You be the judge.

Overall Quality:

If you like pop/rock music with okay lyricks, this is your CD. Tricia, the lead vocals, has a whiney rock voice in the songs Anthem (Track 1), Bowling Ball (3), Wishes (5), It's On (7), and Suddenly (8), but she also has an incredible singing voice in Beauty From Pain (6) and We Live (10). This the type of music that you can get energized to. So, if you need a boost, pop in the CD, and start jammin'.

Jonathan