the fingerprints
a poem about seeing the marks of God in our lives
i see the marks of who you are all throughout the world you’ve made i see the sun and moon and stars their beauty takes my breath away you sent your son into the world you sent your spirit into our hearts you made our souls and gave us life so we can declare how great you are i see the fingerprints of God all over every inch of space i see no heart that goes unloved each one a masterpiece displayed i’ll leave my worries in your hands to see your hand in everything i’ll gaze for more than just a glance to see the fingerprints holding me
About
Being surrounded by a world created by God is an ever-present reminder of his existence and character. The sun, moon, and stars above and all that lies below is the undeniable handiwork of our God. For all of creation sings forth his praise:
Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created. - Psalm 148:3-5
For he commanded and they were created—sometimes we need to reflect on that a bit deeper.
You see, it is easy to get trapped in cycles of striving to understand how God is going to move in our lives. We see problems that don’t seem to have solutions. Or, to put it in “christianese” language, we see mountains that seem immovable and armies or giants that seem impossible to defeat. Because we can’t see how things are going to work out, we doubt that they ever will. We start to feel distant and disillusioned from God, struggling to see a way around the obstacles that lie before us.
Creation is a powerful reminder that we serve a God who can make something out of nothing. If he can create an entire universe ex nihilo (“out of nothing”) he can create a solution for and way out of whatever trials we are facing that seem impossible to endure. For we are called to put our faith in the God who “calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Romans 4:17). As the writer of Hebrews puts it:
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. - Hebrews 11:3
Creation is a grand demonstration of the unfathomable power and wisdom of our God.
It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens. - Jeremiah 51:15
And, the grandeur of the universe paints the nature of his power and wisdom to be far above and beyond our own.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. - Isaiah 55:8-9
The transcendence of God creates a striking point of tension for us: If his ways and wisdom are higher and far beyond ours, then we will often find ourselves lacking understanding of what he is doing and why. This lack of understanding on our part can create immense frustration that leaves us feeling distant from God and feeling a sense of hopelessness in our lives. We can become consumed with thoughts like:
I don’t see a way out of this
I don’t understand how things will get better
I can’t think of a resolution to this problem
In comes a beautiful paradox: We often can’t think of a way things will work out because the way things will work out if beyond our ability to understand.
If God’s power and understanding are above and beyond ours, so are his solutions to our worries and concerns. Not being able to understand is a good thing, because the one who does understand has the power to intervene in ways that are better and greater than anything we can come up with. His glory is displayed as his power is at work within our lives.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. - Ephesians 3:20-21
The Spirit of God is on the move every second of every day. His presence and power flows throughout the world and the people he has made. In his power, you and I were created to glorify him with our lives as we walk in the purposes and callings he has prepared for us to fulfill.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:10
If you’re like me, you’re no stranger to trials and struggling to feel hopeful at times. This past week, my daughter would have turned four years old. When she was born back in April of 2019, I never would have imagined I’d be celebrating her life after she’d already passed into death. I imagined I would have a whole lot longer than two and a half years with my precious baby girl.
I had no idea the turn and journey that my life would take, but God did. When she was born, he was there. In every moment I spent with her when she was alive, he was there. When she died, he was there, and right now as I’m typing this sentence, he is there with her in heaven. Through all the laughs and all the tears, all the joy and all the pain, he has been with me. Why? Because of one thing: Love.
God is love (1 John 4:8). He spares no iota of love for the world and people he created. Scripture defines love as involving sacrifice, service, and commitment, which is most clearly seen in the work of Christ. God sacrificed his son, who willingly entered into the flesh to serve us all in and through his life, death, and resurrection, so that our sins can be atoned for and we can stand before a holy God, reconciled and pure.
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. - 1 John 4:9-10
And, as it sacrifices and serves love is fiercely committed. In other words, love is faithful. God is faithful to all he has promised, which includes being with us through all the highs and lows of life. As 1 Corinthians 13 describes, love bears and endures all things, and never ends. He is love and he is Emmanuel; he is God forever with us.
Our purpose in life is to love and know God and to make him known. The echoes of this truth can be seen in one of Jesus prayers:
I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them. - John 17:26
You see, we don’t have to look far to see the fingerprints of God all throughout our lives, no matter what we’ve gone through. As fingerprints are the evidence of the presence of the hand and person that left them, the beauty of the world and our own existence is the evidence of the enduring presence of the God who created, guides, and governs it all. Our hope and faith are in the one who faithfully loves us.
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
- 1 Corinthians 13:13
Prayer
Lord, by faith we acknowledge that you created the world and every one of us. Your ways, wisdom, and power are far beyond our own. When we find ourselves struggling to see a way through the trials and heartaches we face, remind us that you can and will make a way when there seems to no way. You created an entire universe out of nothing; when we see nothing, you see everything you have in store. Your will for our lives is good and perfect, far better than any sort of will we can conjure up for ourselves. Guide and direct our steps according to your Word. Be the lamp unto our feet and the light unto our paths. We love you and thank you for loving us so well. Help us to make your love and presence known throughout the world. Amen.