August 16, 2017
The Canada fishing / camping trip with my son was a success on several counts. The weather was good, the fishing was good, the eating of the fish was great (from the lake to the frying pan it does not get much better than that) and the fellowship with the Malmanger brothers was a lot of fun. For the first time ever, a Schofield pair beat the Malmangers in five games of Rook (Baptist 500). They did not win a single game. The dam of our perpetual defeat at their hands was finally broken.
Another blessing was simply to get away and to have a change of pace. Cell phone service did not work. We were four hours northeast from International Falls out in the middle of forest and lakes.
We saw eagles, loons, and beavers. Our favorite creature was Chippy – a little chipmunk who waited until we were done eating and to go help himself to the scraps left in our cooking area. The water was clear, the skies were blue (it only rained once and that was at night) and the trees and foliage were all shades of green. Surely, God’s handiwork was all around us.
On one of the lakes we fished, we did come across another boat with four fisher people. Can’t say fishermen because one happened to be a woman. They were Canadians from Dryden. This was our only people interruption for the whole week.
In the midst of all of this beauty, there still was a constant reminder of man’s failure and sin. The Canadian air force (our nick name for mosquitoes) and some pesky biting flies reminded us all is not well in paradise.
But the greatest reminder of nature is God Himself.
Romans 1:18-20 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
To miss God through the revelation of His creative acts is to be dumb on purpose. The Apostle Peter says it this way.
“3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” (2 Peter 3:3-7).
Praise God for revealing Himself to us in His Creation, in His Word, and in His Son, Jesus Christ. Praise God for the gift of faith to believe on Him.
Because of His Goodness,
Pastor John Schofield
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