In the 16ty century a movement arose which blossomed more fully in the 17th century with the flourishing of the Age of Reason.
The movement, and the people who espoused it, became known as ‘deists’. The core of their belief was that a Supreme Being (God) had indeed created the world but, after doing so, had gone off, leaving the world to get on with things as best it could.
The God of the deists had created the world but did not stay to sustain it; his presence was no longer needed or required. An unknown or even unknowable God could be honoured, worshipped even, for creation but he was no longer relevant, no longer involved at all with his creation.
Although deism has waned as a philosophical system over the years, there are many in our society today who are effectively deists but who might not easily recognise that description.
Whether there is a divine being or not is not really an issue for them but, crucially, there is no divine being involved with the world today so far as they are concerned.
That is not the Christian belief, not at all.
We believe that God not only created the world but is still involved with his creation.
He is the God of history who numbers the very hairs of our head (Matthew 10 v 30); who knows when a sparrow falls to the ground (Matthew 10 v 29).
He sent his son into the world to solve the most serious human problem of all time. He did solve the problem but at tremendous personal cost.
God was patiently and actively involved with the world he created.
He is the God of all time and our time, worthy of our love, honour, worship and praise.
Prayer:
God of time and eternity, thank you for being the Lord of history as revealed in the Holy Scriptures and in the life, death and resurrection of your son, Jesus Christ. Thank you for the gift of your Spirit to help us day by day.
Amen.
