My wife and I are sitting next to the river close to Swellendam, relaxing in a wonderful house. We look out over the beautiful mountains and the clear blue sky. In front of us the water ripples over the rocks and its soothing sound fills our ears. An abundance of birds joyfully chirp around us the whole day. Along the river the trees sway gracefully in the breeze.

What a privilege to be alive – a privilege to be able to use all our senses so that we can observe everything around us – I send a prayer of thanks to our almighty God for his awesomeness.

It is easy to believe here. It is easy to believe there is a Creator behind all these amazing creations. Yes, this is a lovely house we’re staying in, but it is not as imposing as the immense mountain range, rippling river, swaying trees or chirping birds.

I cannot but believe. I cannot but believe in a God who is so much greater than people and mountains and trees. To God all the glory, He is worthy, I sing in my mind. There is no one like Him. Thank You, God. I believe, I believe, I believe.

But others come and sit here looking out at the same view. The mountains, the trees, the river and the birds, but they don’t believe that God made it. The mountains and trees and river and birds are still here. How can you say that God made these things. With scientific thinking clever people make sense of all of this without God. Believe in God? Nah. That’s old.

A golden weaver lands on a palm frond looking for food. A snow-white butterfly flutters through the air. A sparrow quickly flies low above the ground. Suddenly a fish jumps out of the water. A cuckoo calls out to his mate. Crickets chirp and in the background we hear the sound of the river. I cannot but believe in a Creator.

How does it work that one person’s faith is strengthened by this while another misses everything?

22… involved in loyal commitments

When you give your heart to God, God’s Spirit comes to live inside you. When you give control of your life to Him, there are wonderful consequences. Things inside you become possible. One is that it becomes possible for you to believe. It’s as if the Holy Spirit gives you a pair of glasses and you start making sense of the things that previously were unclear. Gradually you start to understand. Now it becomes possible to believe in the things of God, even if it does not make sense from a human or scientific point of view.

But there do come times when we don’t see the Almighty behind the mountains, trees, rivers and birds. I suspect this happens when we take off the Holy Spirit’s glasses. This happens when we take the wheel ourselves. And when this happens the fruits of the Spirit are no longer visible in our lives.

Then we must go back and kneel before God and confess our sins and seriously ask God to take control again, pleading that his Spirit will bear fruit in our lives. Then we will be able to see clearly again and believe in our God Almighty.

Galatians 5:13-23

Prayer

Almighty God. I believe. I believe in You who are the Creator of heaven and earth. I believe that You are in control. I believe that You ordain everything. Sometimes I do struggle to believe. I realise this happens when I take control of my life. Please help me to let go of the steering wheel of my life and allow the Spirit to take control. Amen.