Years ago I lived next door to
perfect neighbor. His name was Dub. He was an avid sportsman and often included me on his Saturday adventures into woods and wilds of Northern Colorado. Dub has since gone on to his eternal reward, but I think about him often. My favorite memories of Dub center on occasions when we grappled with spiritual matters. He often surprised me with his well thought out answers to my many questions. He made sense out of deep and profound concepts. Dub answered questions without making a person feel dumb and embarrassed for not knowing answer.
I discovered this one fall morning on first of many fishing expeditions with Dub. We loaded up his old truck with fly rods, waders and tackle. By 5 AM we were rumbling toward The Poudre canyon and great fishing spot he had told me about.
The first light of dawn sliced through canyon to meet us as we donned our gear and began making our way down to treasured "s" curves of river below. Dub stopped and pointed silently at river. Looking down at dark water I saw a small triangular shaped patch of light playing on surface of river. The outlines of four fish were illuminated by sudden splash of sunlight. Dub turned to me. His voice just above a whisper, "Isn't that perfect picture of how God works?"
"I guess I'm not sure what you mean."
"Those fish were there all along, but we didn't know it. A higher source, in this case sun, had to do something to help us see." He looked at me to gauge my reaction. My face no doubt belied my lack of understanding. Dub persisted. "Don't you see? The truth about God is all around us, but we don't have a clue. We can't see it until God opens our eyes and then suddenly he reveals himself and we see truth."
It was my initiation in to what I call Dub's Bible Basics for Dummies Like Me. That Saturday as we fished together standing waist deep in frigid water of Cache Le Poudre River, Dub began to teach me about God and His creation. Woven into memory of that day is joy of catching a lot of fish and having a great deal of discussion about nature of God.
At one point I asked, "Dub, are you saying that God actually reveals himself in nature?"
"Sure, its what theologians call general revelation."
"You'll have to explain that one, Dub."
"Its simply idea that a man can figure some things out about God just by looking at things God created. The Bible puts it like this." To my surprise Dub reached into his pocket and pulled out a little book which I supposed was a Bible. He began reading. "because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since creation of world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse."
Dub put tiny Bible back in his pocket before continuing. "Although we can't possible fathom everything about an infinite and divine being like God, it is clear that we have been given enough information about God that we have no excuse not to acknowledge Him."
