Do You Recognize this Mountain?
The mountain pictured here is Mount Rundle in Banff National Park, just a short drive from Calgary. It is so amazing that all people, no matter their language, ethnicity, or education are awestruck when they look at a mountain like this. Why are we so moved by a big chunk of rock? Why would every single person on the planet consider this image beautiful? The wonder we feel when looking at a mountain, waterfall, or sunset is there because God’s wisdom and power are clearly seen in the things he has made. He’s made us to recognize his beauty, and to honor and worship him.
What’s In a Name?
Mount Rundle is also special, not only because we recognize the glory of our Creator, but because it was named after Robert Rundle. Rundle was a young missionary who came to Alberta in 1840. He came to tell those living here about the God who made the mountains and the entire universe. His desire was not just to establish order and morality as others attempted. He wanted people to be reconciled to God through the Lord Jesus Christ whom he sent so that their souls would be saved on the day of judgment. During his work, Robert Rundle kept a journal. Here is an excerpt as he speaks of the mountains. “Their pointed and snowy summits rose high into the heavens like the lofty spires of some vast and magnificent marble temple reared by the Almighty Architect of nature to mock all the works of art. The sight seemed too grand and too glorious for reality. What indeed can vie with these sublime productions of Diety with their drapery of clouds and their vestments of the snow of heaven? In comparison with them all the works of art dwindle in significance; in them nature reigns without a rival.”
What Will You Do With the Knowledge of God?
Are you going to ignore the testimony that God has written on your heart and painted in creation of his wisdom and power? What are you going to do with the guilt and shame that is also common in every person’s experience? God has made himself clearly known. Not only in creation, but in his word, and most importantly in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus came into the world to deal with our problem of guilt and shame. He came to deal with sin, the cancer that infests each of our hearts and merits us God’s judgment. He offers forgiveness and mercy to those who would trust his saving power. He died and rose again as a demonstration that the penalty of sin, which is death, has been paid in full. Only those who humble themselves and trust in Jesus will be forgiven and spared from God’s wrath.
This was the message of Robert Rundle. This is the testimony of that big piece of rock in Banff National Park. God has made you and he’s sent his Son to redeem those who recognize their guilt and shame and need for rescue. Our good works will not do. We must come empty handed to Christ alone, through faith alone, by the free gift of God alone, so that God himself gets all the honor and glory.