Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. (Luke 23:44, 45 NKJV)
In the wake of natural disasters, cosmic events and global disturbances, our minds struggle to find a central purpose for the destruction. In the natural man we can easily reason that it is simply willing our race to survive that causes it to. We find in ourselves a resistance to elimination, a resilience unparalleled in the universe.
The universe, however, has the same creator that each of us has. Whether we have relationship with Him or not, it is written on our souls to see Him in our world, and to desire His beauty and light in this life. The universe longs for Him just as the human soul.
Never has the universe encountered more gruesome and horrible or awesome and beautiful an image than it's creator on the cross.
Three kinds of beings understood what happened that day: God who is uncreated, eternal and orchestrated the redemption of man; the angels (including Satan, the adversary who unsuccessfully tempted Christ to deny the Father in order that he would not lose control of the souls of men); and the universe, who cried out with darkness, desiring that it, too, would be brought to redemption.
We ask ourselves why the earth is violent and why the universe is so unforgiving and dangerous. The answer is that while man's souls are redeemed to God by the blood of Christ, creation still longs for it's Creator, and must for a time continue in it's unredeemed state.
I do not believe that the universe, the earth as a celestial body, or creation as a whole possesses a soul. I do, however, believe that as a creation it recognizes it's creator, as when we see the wind and waves obeying Jesus and the sun stopping in the sky at the command of the Holy One of Israel.
I also believe that Jesus has sacrificed as a Servant to redeem and make new the hearts of men, he will return as a King to redeem and make new the rest of His creation.
And so, join me in prayer for our world which longs for peace. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!
Grace and peace to you.
