By Doug Bing, Washington Conference president
During the recent Christmas season, my wife and I found ourselves at the Woodland Park Zoo. We went there one evening to see the amazing lanterns and lights that are displayed every year. As we were walking through the park enjoying the display of lights and animated creatures, we overheard a man talking to his friends. He said something to the effect that, seeing all these amazing lights, he could almost become a religious man. His friends reacted with amazement and said they couldn’t believe that he would become a religious man.
I don’t know the rest of the conversation, as we moved on. Yet I thought how sad it was that this man was moved not by the amazing creation all around him at the zoo—the animals of all kinds, the birds of many colors, the fish, and the myriad diversity in God’s creation. Even at night on the path there at the zoo, you are walking among magnificent trees. I truly wish for that man to become a friend of God and begin a relationship with Him. Somehow, I think he most likely enjoyed the night and then went on with his life without God.
The Bible tells of a rich man who had an encounter with Jesus.
He had lived a legalistic life, following all the rules he had been taught. He wanted to make sure that he was going to be in the kingdom. He wanted more things to check off in his quest for assurance of being saved. Jesus gave him one thing: “Sell all that you have, give to the poor, and follow Me.” He walked away (Matthew 19:22). The man’s religion was man-made. He wasn’t worshiping God; he was following a checklist of what he thought God wanted—frankly, all good things. Instead, God wanted him to be willing to give it all up and follow Him.
We are surrounded by many wonderful things—good things, things that make us say, “Wow!” Some may even point us to our Creator God. When we are drawn toward God as a result, we will find that He points us to something deeper than just amazing things. He points us to one hundred percent commitment to Jesus and a willingness to give all to Him.