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.

 

 

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