In the beginning
God said
...
"Let US create man in Our image and after Our likeness." Genesis 1:26
How the Shamrock Glorifies God
"Holy,
Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of His glory!" Isaiah
6:3
Susie was
spending the day with her grandmother and they were
enjoying a wonderful time of
fellowship in the big old
swing on the
front porch. Susie always enjoyed spending time with her
grandmother
for she could always talk over the things that troubled her with her
"Nana".
This is the conversation that took place that particular day ...
Susie: Nana, the other night when I was reading my Bible, I came across something that I didn't understand.
Nana: Well, tell me about it and I will see if I can help you understand it.
Susie: I
was reading about creation and in Genesis 1:26 it quoted God as
saying, "Let
Us create man in Our image and after Our likeness" - I don't understand who
the "us" is?
Nana:
Others have wondered about this statement too, because we
believe in one God. So why did God use the words
"us" and "our"?
Susie: Why did He?
Nana: I think that was His way of making us aware that there is a Trinity.
Susie: I don't understand - what is that?
Nana:
God never says anything that He is not willing to explain to us if we
ask Him.
And everything that God created gives us a visual revelation of
Himself, so let's go
find a shamrock or three-leaf clover, for I think it will
help you to understand about
the Trinity - three persons united as One.
So Susie and Nana went in search of a shamrock or three-leaf clover.
Having found one - the conversation continues:
Nana:
You see how the shamrock has three distinct leafs and yet it is
just one clover. Well, that is how it is with God the Father,
Son, and Holy
Spirit.
One God but three very distinct and unique individuals. They are
in complete
agreement with one another as to how they think and speak
and act - that is
their oneness as God. But each one of them is a very
unique person in
their own right.
So that is why the Bible quoted God as
saying ... "Let US". They
were in
perfect agreement
and harmony with
one another and each took part in creation in their own distinct and
unique way.
Susie: Oh, Nana - then the shamrock glorifies God doesn't it - how awesome!
Nana: Yes, indeed it is!
Susie:
Now every time I see a shamrock, I will think of God the Father,
Son,
and Holy Spirit.
Nana:
And that will please God very much. That is why everything He
created
tells us something about Himself - so we are constantly reminded
of Him and His
wonderful love for each one of us. Now help me find a
four-leaf clover for
it reveals the - in Our image and after Our likeness -
part of the Scripture.
They had to really search to find a four-leaf clover.
Susie: Nana, why are there so few four-leaf clovers?
Nana: I think that is God's way of revealing a sad but true revelation to us.
Susie: What?
Nana:
The four-leaf clover like the shamrock, is just one clover but with
four
distinct and individual leaves. This is a picture of someone who
becomes one with
God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit by being in
agreement with them in how they think and
speak and act. And yet they
still remain their own
unique person.
But not many people come into
agreement with God in such a complete oneness,
because they have a
mistaken idea that they will lose their uniqueness if they come into
perfect agreement with God, but that is not what happens.
Susie: What does happen?
Nana:
When a person chooses to surrender their life to the Lord, they
aren't
surrendering their uniqueness as a person - they are actually
enriching themselves
as a person and finding a better life than they have
ever had before. Remember in the creation story how God said that
every
thing would reproduce after its own kind?
Susie: Yes, I do. What did He mean by that?
Nana:
He stated this before Adam and Eve ever choose to disobey His instructions of
how to live a blessed life in the Garden of Eden. So He really wanted Adam
and Eve to reproduce children who would enjoy their own uniqueness and have a loving and personal relationship
with Him, just as
He wanted for Adam and Eve. But when they chose to seek
another way
of life different from what God had planned for them - their
children would
now have the same mind-set and do the same thing. And we are all
born on earth as children of Adam and Eve.
Susie: So that is why we need to be born-again.
Nana:
That's right. We will never be able to be in agreement
with God
as long as we hold on to being in Adam and Eve's image (way of
thinking)
and likeness (way of doing). This falls short of God's original plan
and
purpose for our lives which was to be created in His image (way of thinking)
and after His
likeness (way of doing) - becoming one with Him in how we
think and speak and
act and yet remaining unique and distinct
individuals.
Susie: So
that is what the four-leaf clover is telling us - we can be our own person and yet one with God the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit - in thinking,
and speaking, and acting. Wow! Nana, the four-leaf clover
glorifies God too, doesn't it?
Nana:
Indeed it does! Both the shamrock and the four-leaf clover glorifies
God by
plainly illustrating what God meant when He said - "Let Us create
man in Our image and
after Our likeness." Isn't God awesome?
Susie: Yes, Nana, He sure is!
"Blessed
be His glorious name forever!
And let the whole earth be filled with His
glory. Amen and Amen."
Psalm 72:19
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name
In earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and Mighty!
God in Three Persons, Blessed Trinity!
Music: Holy, Holy, Holy
Glory, Glory to the Father!
Glory, Glory to the Son!
Glory, Glory to the Spirit!
Glory to the Three in One!
The
shamrock is the national flower of Ireland.
According to legend, St
Patrick the patron saint
of Ireland used this three-leaf clover to
illustrate the Trinity to the people of Ireland.
An Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face
and the rain fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in hollow of His Hand.
More inspirational pages ...
A Love Story | A Special Visitor | A
Tribute to Godly Mothers
An Invitation
| Awaiting My Beloved Heavenly Bridegroom
Behold
The Lamb of God |
Giving Thanks to the Lord
God's Divine Treat | God's Gift of
Love | Going God's Way
Heavenly
Father - We Love and Adore You | Holy
Spirit
Let's
Celebrate Freedom | Little Visits With God
New Beginnings In Christ |
Prince of Peace
Scripts
for Thought
| Inspired
Writings
Life
Enrichment Stories |
Poetry
The
Word Says | Uplifting
Words
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Hymn Titles: Holy, Holy, Holy and I Will Praise Him
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