My husband and I recently returned from a week on the island of St John in the US Virgin Islands with some dear friends. Our two families have vacationed together five or six times over the last twenty years. But last week, just the four of us finally got to spend some relaxing time together.
I was the early riser in the bunch. Each morning I had the wonderful luxury of sitting on the deck with my Bible, study material, and a cup of coffee. I read God’s Word and looked out at the ocean. It was marvelous!
The study book under my Bible is Beth Moore’s “Children of the Day,” which I’m studying with the ladies of my church.
One morning I was reading from “Embraced by Holiness” – I’m currently leading this study with our small group at church. As a storm quickly passed by in front of me, I read these words from Week Two, Day One, about how God reveals His holiness through creation:
Before the stars dotted the heavens and the waves crashed on the shore, God existed in all His holiness. Divine, perfect nature with only the Triune God as witness. Then He spoke, and His majesty burst forth in visible wonder. He splashed His glory across the skies and spread His power in the ocean depths.
Now all creation lifts a clear, unbroken chorus of praise to its Creator. Since the beginning of time, what has been made testifies to the unlimited power and worthiness of its Maker. Nature beckons us to seek God, bidding us turn our eyes and hearts to the Creator. It is beyond comprehension that this powerful, majestic, holy God desires us to know Him. And yet He does.
Creation summons us to know and worship the Creator. The storm did indeed remind me of the power and glory of God. It was Psalm 19 lived out before my eyes:
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Psalm 19:1-3, NIV
Coincidence? Hardly. God used the storm to reinforce this lesson in my heart and mind. But, He didn’t stop there. He continued to press the lesson, to make His glory known to me that morning. As I read Psalm 19 and watched the end of the storm, a rainbow begin to form. As it brightened, splashing its spectrum of color across the sky, a second bow joined it! Oh, how I wish my phone photo could do justice to the actual sight.
This phone pic does not show it well, but if you look to the left of the bright rainbow you can see a hint of the second!
I was torn between standing and watching and running to wake everyone in the house. In the end, I spent a few moments praising God for His power and glory and then shooting up the stairs to drag my husband to a window. What a glorious morning!
Have you heard Creation’s songs of praise? What are some things in nature that quickly draw your thoughts to the Creator and foster praise?
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