Flowers and Fragrance

Soft, fragrant, delicate, fragile: A rose by any other name is still a rose. As William Shakespeare put it, "That which we call a rose by any other name is still as sweet."

On the third day of Creation, the Lord said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." (Genesis 1:11) The variety of plants created by God were phenomenal, each one unique in its own way. Roses, tulips, lilacs, poinsettias, sunflowers--all designed by the hand of God.

Each flower brings beauty, fragrance and color into the world. Pink, red, white, purple, yellow--every color imaginable is reflected in God's handiwork.

The hills of Palestine were bright with spring flowers during the Passover and fathers and mothers told their children of God's wonders. (The Desire of Ages, Ellen G. White, page 76)

"The things of nature are the Lord's silent ministers, given to us to teach us spiritual truths. They speak to us of the love of God and declare the wisdom of the great Master Artist. I love the beautiful flowers. They are memories of Eden, pointing to the blessed country into which, if faithful, we shall soon enter. The Lord is leading my mind to the health-giving properties of the flowers and trees." (The Adventist Home, Ellen G. White, page 147)

Flowers are also a blessing to those who are ill or shut-in as they lift the spirits and add a touch of beauty to the room. "In nature may always be found something to divert the attention of the sick from themselves and direct their thoughts to God." (Ministry of Healing, Ellen G. White, page 265)

Creation or Evolution?

As I gaze into the face of a newborn babe, I have great difficulty believing in evolution. I don't believe for one second that this beautiful child developed over millions of years of evolution from an ape-like creature. This perfect little being with ten fingers and ten toes is, according to the Bible, created in the image of God.

Open your Bible to the very first book, Genesis, and turn to chapter 1, verse 26: "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.'" It doesn't say to make man from an ape or an organism that will crawl up out of the sea onto the land. It clearly states that man will be made in the image, or likeness, of God. Verse 27 continues, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."

Creation or evolution--which will you believe? Regardless of which you choose to believe, they must both be accepted on faith. There are no hard facts on evolution--that's why they call it the theory of evolution. It's based on man's opinion of how it all started without any hard evidence. Creation, on the other hand, has a strong foundation based on scientific evidence.

Archeological research has proven that what is written in the Bible is based on fact. History also supports the evidence of creation, through the life of Jesus Christ as told in the Bible. Man has been provided with this written history, yet still he tries to fabricate the origin of the species and support the theory of evolution.

By definition, faith is belief that is not based on proof. If we choose to accept the Bible by faith as the historical record of creation, it gives us all the proof we need to support that belief.

Evidence of creation vs. the theory of evolution--which will you choose to believe?