God-centered resources from the ministry of John Piper

(This post is reason #2 in the series, “9 Reasons I’m a Photographer.”)

(Glen Canyon, Arizona)

God hides himself in creation. Unbelievers seldom see him in it, but believers are given eyes to see, so they can glorify God through it.

Martin Luther writes,

[The spiritual man] alone can distinguish the position from the Word, the divine mask from God Himself and the work of God. Until now we have dealt only with the veiled God, for in this life we cannot deal with God face to face. Now the whole creation is a face or mask of God. But here we need the wisdom that distinguishes God from His mask. The world does not have this wisdom. There it cannot distinguish God from His mask. When a greedy man, who worships his belly, hears that "man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4), he eats the bread but fails to see God in the bread; for he sees, admires, and adores only the mask. He does the same with gold and with other creatures. He puts his trust in them as long as he has them; but when they forsake him, he despairs. (Commentary on Galatians, 95-96)

And from John Piper:

God means for us to be stunned and awed by his work of creation. But not for its own sake. He means for us always to look at his creation and say: If the work of his hands is so full of wisdom and power and grandeur and majesty and beauty, what must this God be like in himself!

These are but the backside of his glory seen through a glass darkly. What will it be to see the Creator himself! Not his works! Not even a billion galaxies will satisfy the human soul. God and God alone is the soul's end.

(Ngombe Compound, Lusaka, Zambia)