Author Archives: Pete Gardner

This Time

I Don’t Know, But I Do

If there’s one thing I know, it’s that I don’t know very much.

I don’t know how my heart can continue to beat around 70 times a minute 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year for 70+ years without any electric motor, or hydro power or nuclear power.  How can it pump blood through arteries and into capillaries, only to have that blood coke back through veins and run through again? How does that happen?

I don’t know how I can sit here and form words in my head, and then my finger will just start typing the individual letters that make up those words.  How does my eye tell my mind to move the muscle that will hit the typewriter at the correct place to make this paragraph?  How does that happen?

I don’t know how DNA works.  How do atoms form chromosomes, and chromosomes form the DNA that tells our bodies to make us who we are from the moment of conception?  How do the cells come together to form the nose, feet, hands, mouth, teeth, shoulders and so on, that will become our body when we emerge from the safety of our mother’s womb? How do these chromosomes determine my hair color, eye color, shape of toes, height, possibility of diseases, and so many other features?  How does that happen?

I don’t know how a seed can be planted in a pile of dirt and then emerge as a plant full of more seeds to be planted the next year so they can produce more seeds and more seeds.  How does the seed even have the ingredient for the plant it will produce?  How do those ingredients come together to start a stem, and then leaves, and then a fruit, or a flower, or a mighty oak tree?  How does this happen?

I don’t know how a line in the sky can divide a Southeast wind from a Northwest wind.  How can this line produce dangerous winds that whirl in all directions, or a tornado, or a lightning strike?  How can a single line stop winds from one direction going 30-40 mph, and also stop winds of 30-40 mph in the other direction? How can this line even be there, when it cannot be seen and its movements cannot be tracked? How does this happen?

You see, there are a lot of things that I don’t know.  There are a lot of things that imply escape my simple mind.  I could go on for pages and pages about the things I don’t know because the natural world is extremely complex.  Not only is there a natural order to all things in this earth, but there is a natural order to all things in the heaven.  Not only does each animal have a distinct defense system, but they also are each individually and uniquely made.  As I each leaf in every tree, each snowflake that falls from above, and ever human fingerprint from the beginning of time.  How is that even possible?

There is one who can answer all these questions.  He is the one who made my heart and knit together my DNA in my mothers’ womb. He is the one who made the plants and controls the weather. He is the one who made all things in earth and heaven, who created all the animals and the plants, and who designs every snowflake and fingerprint.  I know Him as God.  Yahweh.  El.  He is the great I Am.

There is one other thing I know.  I know that this God, the God who created all things and controls all things, the God who put the stars in place and calls them all by name, loves me and he loves you.  In fact, He loves you so much that He gave His only Son to die on a cross as a ransom for your sins.  He died, but then rose again, to give all who believe in Him eternal life. His name is Jesus Christ. 

I know that beyond a shadow of a doubt this is true.  I know because He did this for me.  I know He changed my life.  I know my sins are forgiven.  I know these sins are removed from my life as far as the East is from the West.  I know these things are true for me.  I know these things can be true for you.  I know he will forgive you.  I know he will wipe away all your sins and clean you a white as snow. I know you too can make heaven your eternal destination.  I know that the following prayer will bring this all about.

Jesus, please forgive me of my sins.  I repent and will turn away from them.  I ask you to come and take me as I am.  I accept you as my Savior and my Lord.  Thank you, Jesus for making me your child.

If you prayed this prayer from your heart, then you now know the maker of the universe.  You know the one who has all the answer.

Hmmm.  Maybe I know more than I think I know!

What a Mystery

What if I had a million stars to put in place?
What if I knew them all and called them all by name? 
I’d pick a special one to put up in the sky
Over the place where soon the Savior would arrive

What if the angels came to me with wondrous praise?
What if they asked me who should hear the news they gave?
I’d pick the ones who would be humble and obey
Shepherds out in the field who kept watch every day

CHORUS
Oh, what a mystery. Oh, what great love
The Son of God left His throne above
Oh, what compassion on sinners like me
He left His royal throne to die for me

What if the shepherds brough their flocks to see the King?
What if three wise men travelled far their gifts to bring?
There in a manger lay the Savior of the world
Today He’s just a babe but He’ll be Lord of Lords

CHORUS

BRIDGE
What if He had not come?  I’d still be lost.
No hope to look for, all peace is gone
Joy would be sorrow, True love unknown
If Jesus had not come this Christmas morn

CHORUS

Your Loving Plan

You Are Greater, Lord

I come before you now down on my knees
Hoping that you’ll hear my humble pleas
I know that I do not deserve your grace
But yet I pray and seek your holy face

I need a touch, Lord, down in my soul
I need a restoration that will make me whole
I’ve fallen far away from you
I really don’t know what to do
Except to come and bow before your throne

I know that you can bring me through the loudest storm
I know that you can make the raging sea be calm
I know that nothing is too hard for you to do
I lift my hands and lift my voice to worship you

I need a touch, Lord, down in my soul
I need a restoration that will make me whole
I’ve fallen far away from you
I really don’t know what to do
Except to come and bow before your throne

Great are you, Lord
Great are you, Lord
Greater than my doubts.  Greater than my fears
Greater than my troubles and my tears
Greater than the battle that I face
You are greater, Lord.  You are greater

Great are you, Lord
Great are you, Lord
Greater than this mountain in my way.
Greater than the biggest trial I face
Greater than the storms.  Greater over all
Your are greater, Lord.  You are greater

You bring victory.  You bring victory
You bring victory when I am on my knees
You bring victory.  You bring victory
You bring victory and hear my humble plea
This Time

Jesus Is My Pattern

I want to walk with integrity
Leaving behind all my iniquity
Living every day in the promises of the Lord
I want to speak with sincerity
So that giving grace is not a rarity
Help me to live like the one that I adore

Jesus is my pattern
His life I live after
All that I do should reflect His love for me
Help me hear you Father
Living a life that matters
I want to be all that you want me to be

Everything I have is yours
I come humbly to your throne
Surrendering my life to you in every way
I adore you Lord
I will give you more
More than ever before starting today
All That I Need

Great Disgrace

What else can I do but be myself
I cannot just copy somebody else
I have to rely on what the Lord has given me

But I often I think this life is hard
I try to pretend that I am smart
And now I am falling hard and no one will rescue me

Help me to see the path that I have walked
Help me to learn the voice that leads me to the dark
Help me to leave my foolish pride behind admitting my mistakes
And humbly bow before your throne in great disgrace

Have mercy, Lord, on me
I bow down at your feet and humbly plea
I didn’t listen.  I wasn’t wise
I could not see the enemy’s eyes
Have mercy, precious Lord, on me

Now I know what to do with this mess
I come to you now and I confess
Greed and alluring talk of grandeur led me astray

I will walk out of my despair
I will come up and small the air
You shine a light along my path to show me the way

You help me see the path that I have walked
You help me learn the voice that led me to the dark
You help me leave my foolish pride behind and look on up ahead
There you await with open arms and calm my fear

Have mercy, Lord on me
I bow down at your feet and humbly plea
I will now listen.  I’ll open my eyes
I will turn to you to help me be wise
Have mercy, precious Lord, on me