Category: Creation

Posted on

Our God Above All

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You formed the Earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. Psalm 90:1

The Lord our God reigns.

He is covered in blinding light and His strength has no boundary

The majesty of His presence is above all things

From His throne flows an incredible power that travels out across the entire universe.

His presence is awesome, far greater than anything that He made

This world, our home, was formed by His hands. By them, He carefully crafted the formation of this incredible place within the greatness of our universe

He thought of it and formed it for His own pleasure and desire, as a place for life to exist and for us to live in

God’s throne was established from the beginning. He is from everlasting to everlasting

There is nothing that can move Him from His place

He reigns above all

We see the wonders of this earth and cry out in awe of its beauty and goodness. But you, oh God, are far far greater

Our eyes look out across the vast expanse of our oceans, and shudder the at the power of the tall waves that rage upon it. They roar and rise up to great heights and shake the land as they break upon the shorelines

But You, Our God, are mightier than these. You laugh at the angry waters

And though they crash and roar with tremendous power, they are nothing to You, oh God. You see them and smile, for you cannot be moved by them

We can observe from space the great storms that sweep across our planet

They move like gigantic waves and whirlpools miles above us. Their winds blast the earth. We run and seek shelter from their fury. But You, are unshaken. They are beautiful to you, for they accomplish Your will as they water the earth below.

Even in the harsh vastness of space, which surround us in unimaginable distances. You are not threatened, harmed, or controlled in any way. For the mighty things of this creation have no affect upon their creator. But You guide all things in any way in which you want

Even when a star explodes, or galaxies containing billions of stars collide, You remain unaffected. Or, when Black Holes with their incredible mass and gravity swallow up everything around them; You are not bothered in any way. For You are mighty above all things, and You made each of these for there own purpose

At the end of time when this creation come to its end, You will still reign. Your strength, power, and love will last beyond all of this. In all Your glory you shall remain God forever.

What an awesome God we have. I will continue to praise Him for the rest of my days

The Lord, our God, has made us to live within this beautiful and amazing creation. He has made this place with loving hands and guides it with a steadfast heart

Isn’t it profound that God so loved us that He sent His Son Jesus, along with His Spirit, and Word to us, His children

So that we might live to all the fullness He designed us for. And so that those who love and trust in Him may live in His presence, forever more. Amen. 1/24/2024

Posted on

The Incredible Wanderer

The Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens)

One morning a few weeks ago, I stepped out into my yard and entered a familiar place, my pollinator garden. Almost immediately I spotted a plain looking Dragonfly resting on a branch soaking up the early sunlight. It had large eyes, clear veined wings, and a body that was light green and dull yellow. I was lucky that I came out early and it was still at rest, for I was able to sneak up and snap a couple of pictures. Seconds later, it flew up and circled the garden in effortless flight.

I’ve learned something important in recent years. When we take the time and effort to look closer at the life that lives all around us, we see so much more that we ever thought possible. There are thousands of species living in the places near where we live that we regularly pass by and never learn anything about. Some of these are truly incredible creatures that inspire us, wow us with their beauty, or surprise us with a unique ability. Life on this planet is amazing, and a wonderful slice of it is happening every day just outside our doors. As I have looked closer at what lives in the world around me, it became obvious that God did not make a simple world for us to live in. It is truly astounding in its complexity and function, yet in equal measure, it is filled with beauty and life giving qualities. 

When I went back in to have a morning cup of coffee, I thought about the visitor I had just seen. It looked a little different than other dragonflies I had seen recently. So, I uploaded my pictures and used an app to help me identify it. It came up as a Wandering Glider. Hmm, something I had never seen before, and I felt honored that this new visitor felt inclined to stop by this tiny garden within God’s vast creation.

As I sipped my coffee, I began to read about this creature. There was a lot of information about this one, perhaps because it was an unusually widespread insect. Infact, the most widespread Dragonfly on the entire earth. But, even more surprising to me was its ability as a long distance traveler. This small bug is perhaps the most exceptional migrator and navigator I had ever heard of. Some populations of the Wandering Glider have multigenerational migrations that span over eleven thousand miles. They travel across continents, the worlds highest mountain ranges, even vast oceans to follow the wet warm seasons of winds and moisture such as the famous monsoons.

I read about a scientist who studied one of their most amazing journeys. He found that a very large population of these insects migrate across the entire Indian Ocean from East Africa to India, nearly two thousand miles. Out over the water, these Dragonflies cannot land, or eat, but somehow they have enough strength to cover this distance flying nonstop in about five days. They use an inate knowledge of the weather and seasons to follow the monsoons and weather patterns of this region. They ride on the winds of these storms at just the right times and altitudes like fine skilled sailors. Back and forth they fly from Africa to India and from India to Africa over and over, for multiple generations. It just so happens that these weather patterns bring rains which wet the land, allowing this dragonfly to successfully lay millions of eggs into puddles and ponds on both continents. Being the voracious preditor they are, their larva consume literally billions of mosquito larva in these pools of water, keeping the pest populations in check and reducing the spread of infectious diseases like Malaria and Dengue.

After a couple days, the Wandering Gliders who had visited my humble garden moved on, likely to the north to a place of there own knowing. But I have not forgotten them. Life is truly surprising, and I’m reminded what an incredible place this Earth is when I see something that may not appear that special, but really blows me away. It strengthens my belief in God to see these wonders in the world that He created. I believe we all benefit from eachother and that this place is not just for us, but for all the life that lives here. It strengthens my resolve that it is absolutely worth protecting, because all of God’s creatures and plants each can tell similarly amazing stories. How important then that we try to save this place and keep things intact as best we can. For God created all of this abundant creation for our benefit and also for the prosperity of the life that lives here. 

Posted on

Let All The Earth Praise Him

“Oh Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:9

Shout praises to the Lord of all creation. Give glory to Him who reigns

Sing songs of gratitude for His mercy and love; give thanks for the multitude of His blessings

Sing forth all you mountains. Bend low, every hillside. Tremble, before His power and majesty

Raise your branches, every tree. Reach them high towards the heavens. Dance as the wind of His Spirit rustles through your leaves that catch the sun’s glowing light

Give honor to Him, all you vineyards; and blessing you fertile fields. For He has given you richness in great abundance, so that you might bless all the earth with plenty

Call forth you songbirds. Cry out every Eagle on high. Give honor to Him, darting swallows, for He has given you the wind beneath your wings

In thanksgiving bow before Him. With gratitude give him praise. For He has fed you from His abundance and placed the miracle of life within your frame

Call out you azure heavens. Raise up you mighty thunder clouds. Give glory to Him who stands above you, and stirs you like dust beneath His feet

Shine forth, every golden sunbeam. Illuminate God’s good earth, whom He alone has made

Give light to all His children, so they might glory at the beauty of His creation

Whisper soft hymns, you quiet waters. Reflect forth images of His goodness and mercy. Give drink to all those who thirst, and life to all that lives and breathes

Give honor to the God of the heavens, sing praise to Him who made this Earth

Offer, each day, a sacrifice of grateful thanksgiving for all the good things He has done

Our God is higher than all of His creation. He is greater than anything known

Sing, for He is awesome

Raise you voices, because of the magnitude of His glory

Lift up His name, for He is more than worthy of all of our praise. 11/5/2006

Posted on

A Mornings View

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

The heavens call out to me this morning. They sing a chorus over the darkened land

Their song shouts forth the glory of their place in the heavens above and speaks in quiet praise of the wonder of God’s creation

What joy I feel to see the stars and planets sparkling. How awesome to watch the smiling sliver of the moon poking up just above the horizon. The sun is chasing it, not far behind. Reflected light from earth illuminates the dim circle of its face

Great is our God who made all of this, He is wise beyond all the capabilities of our mind. By His power with a Word, He swung all this into motion. What wondrous things He has done

Our world is set amidst this endless creation. We have been cast as a grain of sand into the vastness of this place

How blessed am I to see all this beauty today, to ponder the width and depth of all God has made and to see its power, depth, and glory

It’s amazing that we have just begun to explore this space around us

Our ships have sailed out across the solar system

Our feet have walked upon the dusty surface of the moon

Our eyes have looked out across nearly 14 billion light years of space and seen to near the beginning of all we know that is

But God knows infinitely more

I wonder about our future here on this planet, can we somehow overcome our frailties?

Will our species grow more compassionate and loving towards each other, so we don’t mess up our chances for survival or a good outcome

For we are self-centered creatures, prone to greed and war. We have learned many amazing things, but have failed to solve the most difficult problems of our times

Our God looks down from the heavens above. He sees and knows what lies within us and offers us the wisdom of His Word and Spirit; the grace and mercy of His salvation, He freely gives

Will we truly acknowledge Him and go before Him in faith this day?

Oh, the beauty and wonder of God’s creation, what an incredible place He has made

Our Earth was formed by the strength and will of His hands and we were brought forth here, as His children

Our problems, which we have created, are rising above our heads. They threaten are very existence, but with God, we have the promise of a future

When we connect with Him, the creator of all that is, we will see and know that every good answer resides in Him.  11/30/20

Posted on

Our Home, Earth

Blessed are all those who dwell in Your house; they are forever praising You.    Psalms 84:4

Blessed are we who live in this sanctuary called Earth, and those able to see and experience all its boundless wonders

It is of God’s own making, and He made it exceedingly well

How fortunate is the family of mankind to dwell in this house, and to have been born into this place of beauty and comfort

It is a temple of God’s creation fashioned for us to live in, along with all the multitudes of life

Blessed is the entire family of plants and creatures that dwells here. We are all a part of earth’s character, born of this creation

Each of us are linked together as a family in this world, sprouting forth on the surface of this planet

We are cast into orbit around our star, the Sun;

Lost among a million stars, but not unknown, as we swirl within our Milky Way

And rise outward, along with an untold numbers of other galaxies, within this universe of unsearchable length, depth, and time

It is all His making

It is all that we know of

Even if we could think of what lies beyond the distant boundaries of all we know, He would be there, as its creator and as it’s Spirit

Blessed are we who have life, how lucky indeed, are we to experience this miracle and see, touch, and feel all the wonders that life allows

Praise God, for His infinitely grand creation. Commend Him, for this crazy thing called life. It exists here on earth in all its incredible depth and complexity

Glorify our God, because we have life amidst this beautiful world

Life is precious, it is fragile, and exceedingly rare. There is no other place that we know of where it even exists

We believe some simple primitive forms may possibly live somewhere else, but we have not seen them yet, despite all our searching

The universe is wondrous, but it is also an exceedingly harsh place, to find somewhere else that is as soft and hospitable as earth may never happen

How far away will such a place be if one even exists?

God sent His own Son into this place as a gift to Earth’s current apex species, so that we might not die, as every form of life eventually does, but that we might have eternal life

And so that we could have a pathway through faith in Jesus Christ to live on past our present life, the miracle that it is, and live in the presence of God, the very maker of all we know that exists

It begins through faith in Him who made us and by our love and praise for all that He has done

It comes by glorifying Our God and His Son through the very expression of our life

For He is worthy, because there is nothing that is greater than Him

Praise God for His creation and for the gift of salvation through our faith in Him.  9/17/2021

Posted on

Wake Up, This is Real

 

If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy them; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. 1 Corinthians 3:17

This world is changing, our climate is warming, the balance of our living world is degrading and few of us are paying attention

It appears, that the ways in which our climate is changing does not easily set off alarms in us. Perhaps it is happening at such an incremental rate that it defies our deep perception

We notice things are different, but we endure or adjust, and then move on. This  has left us profoundly vulnerable to this danger

Wake yourself, arouse your mind and sharpen your perception, become an observer and listener of nature. This is more important than we realize, a problem which will be difficult to recover from

Never forget that this planet was made by our God, created for life and for wonder. It is a miracle of His work

Do you think God applauds its destruction?

Many say they don’t see the climate changing. Look more intently, study the data determined by the experts.

Remember the harm you have seen across the lands nearby. Recall the gigantic fires, the powerful storms, the unusual freezes and unrelenting heat; the devastating droughts, and all of the collective damage done so far

Sense the enormity of environmental stress that covers most of the world now. It is all there for you to see, just open your eyes and understand

Some say it is a hoax or scheme to defraud us. But, why are so many brilliant people telling us there is now no doubt?

Climate change is happening. It is real, and our own actions are to blame. The real hoax may lie in the disinformation and lies spread abroad, sowed by those who can gain by creating confusion and distrust in the truth

Our God is a God of justice and righteousness, He considers those who act justly, and those who aspire towards what is good, but He is against anyone who acts selfishly and propagates lies

How do you think He feels about those who are damaging this precious Earth?

Some say it is our right to subdue this World that God gave us to live in. But we have gone far past overcoming the challenges of living on this planet

Never has there been so much destruction wrought upon our land, seas, and air; harm that has affected all life, especially our poor and our defenseless, the ones God calls precious in His eyes

Oh Lord, I pray for our collective climate awareness, that we might sharpen our focus upon this threat. Please help us grow closer and more united as we seek to find good solutions

We elevate you, the Lord of the heavens and of this Earth, so that we might regard You in all our ways, that justice may be served, and the health of our world, upheld

May we always acknowledge You, as we work to restore the bountiful abundance of this world, so that it may be well for us, and for all who live here, and so that You may be forever praised for your all Your awesome works. 3/5/2021

Posted on

Goodness Without Measure

Be Thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting. Psalms 100:4-5

Lord, You bless all the earth with Your goodness

All that there is, has sprang forth as a gift from your hands. You give breath to every creature, and water, to the plants of the earth

How great is Your goodness, and wonderful, Your gifts. All of creation is indebted to You, for You are creator of all

In awe, and with wonder, I will praise God. With joy, and thanksgiving I will raise up a song for Him. For He has given us this day as a gift, and for His own glory

May all of creation Praise Him. May they shout forth His name, and call upon His benevolent Spirit. May they shout forth His name, and seek Him each day and every hour

For He does not Hide His presence

Look to the heavens and glory. Gaze upon His creation with respect. Rejoice, for we are alive and have been given great treasures

With each dawn that we are blessed with, may we live our life for Him, and give back to God that which He has given to us

All that there is, He owns. Nothing lies beyond His reach, or, escapes the gaze of His eye

Yet, how great is His mercy towards us

With love, God looks upon each life, and treasures us as priceless creations

Great is the goodness of God, and excellent, His Word. With truth and with power, He has made clear the way that leads to life. It transforms all who seek after our Lord God

The Word of God was before all creation. By it everything that was made, was framed and placed into context within God’s plan

May all of creation praise our God, and call upon Him, who is their salvation. So that they may taste and know the pure goodness of God.  12/22/2006

Posted on

Thank you for the Light

“Then I was the craftsmen at His side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in His presence, rejoicing in His whole world and delighting in mankind.” Proverbs 8:30

Thank God for the bright and sunny days. Praise Him for creating the gift that is our sun; for its warmth and brightness of light, and for the ways it lifts our spirits

Lift up the name of our God, for giving us a star like our sun. For He placed it exactly where it is within the universe so that we are not too hot, or too cold. It safely blesses our world in its illuminating light, and is stable, not given to dangerous outbursts or fluctuations

Thank you, Lord, for all the stars that You have made. Their quiet beauty in the night skies, inspires. The stardust that was formed within their fusion powered factories, is the very dust that we are created from

Through the energy of the sun and the miracle of life, we have our being. The stardust flows through us all the days of our lives

How glorious is the sunshine. It lifts my spirits in the morning, and warms my soul throughout the day

All the colors of this amazing world are illuminated by the brightness of our sun, and through our sight we are allowed to fully appreciate the wonder of God’s creation. For this world is incredibly made, the heavens stunningly vast and beautifully marvelous

Great is our God. Glorious is all of His creation

All honor, praise, and thanksgiving, we give unto You. For we are a vital part of Your creation. We too, are awesome and fearfully made

Our Lord, Jesus Christ, was with God from the beginning. He was invited to share in the joy of making this grand creation

His eyes witnessed that first burst of energy, when God spoke and set His laws in motion. He observed, as they cause matter and energy to run towards their places. He labored with God, as they watched all of time stretch out before them

They arranged things to be just so, to Their liking. By the outworking of the power of Their wisdom and love, they moved, as They still do to this day and forever more, to bring good things to light. So that glory, goodness, and righteousness, might rule throughout the entire universe, even within this world

Praise God, our Holy creator, and His Son, Jesus Christ. For through the Son, He has given us His light and the power of His Spirit

Jesus is our savior, and our only hope within this creation.

We were made to live in Him forever, but, our sins work to separate us from the light of His goodness and the power of His salvation. Therefore, cease from giving in to the futility of sin, and put your trust in Christ.

Live according to His Word and His ways, and you will have the light from the source of all light shining within you.

The warmth of His love and the goodness of His promises will then uplift your life. For, throughout all of eternity; blessing, goodness, and mercy, dwell in Him. 3/26/2021

Posted on

The Precious Fabric of Life

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is an everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the Earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. Isaiah 40:26

The God of all that is, clothed the Earth with a precious fabric. He made this world with materials of many colors, textures, forms, and patterns

It fits perfectly upon this world, and is unlike anything we have ever known or observed

It is incredible how it persists, adapts, and repairs itself even when damaged. It is woven with such exquisite complexity, that we can barely understand how it works

Our God in heaven created something amazing and beautiful. Perhaps the most surprising thing about it is that it also lives and breathes

This fabric that covers our Earth, our home, is not something to be taken for granted. For we are dependent on the health of every part of it for our very existence

It lies in a balance within all of its workings, so that our life, and all life that dwells on Earth may  persist safely for eons of time

Oh God of the heavens and of the Earth, humble us, and make us to know your love for us. May we recognize that You alone have made this place for us to live, and it is marvelous in every way

We cheapen our lives when we take all this for granted. It shows our lack of reverence for God, who has given us all things

Blessed are we to be given life here in this place, and to be loved, for God has given us all we need. But, we curse ourselves by our unthankful actions, when we conceive in our minds to exploit God’s gift to us.

In recent times we have grown to fill the entire Earth. We have crowded in to every part of this life giving fabric. Our sin is that we do not appreciate this wonder that we live within, and that we give in to the selfish power of our greed and lust for things

Through our actions, we have increasingly desecrated the very fabric of God’s world, and now weaken, even threaten our own existence by the runaway momentum of our destructive pursuits

God’s amazing creation, the fabric he placed here for life, even our lives, is being strained. Its threads are being stretched and torn. Our climate is changing in dangerous ways

We must thoughtfully renew a vital commitment to this sacred place we call home and humbly revive our faith in our God. So that through this we might chart a new path away from the course we take now, and live as a species that values and nurtures the health of our natural world. 2/28/2021

Posted on

The Connection

But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 1 Corinthians 12:20

The famous naturalist John Muir once said, “If you pick out one thing in nature, you will find that it is hitched to everything else in the entire universe”. It is an astounding thought. No matter what you look at, you will find that it, in one way or another, it has a connection with everything else. The beauty in it is that the connections come in various ways and in an almost infinite number of means. There are the cycles of nature, placed into the fabric of God’s creation, that transport energy and matter from one place to another. Within these cycles, are checks and balances, that regulate their flow in particular ways, based on how God has placed His physical laws. Every movement in this natural realm, each life, every person and believer; has an effect on the rest of the universe around them. Most often, these effects are at levels beyond our perception and understanding. However, all that we sense, every interaction within this world and with others, is our conscious part of this equation of connection within God’s creation.

When I am working in my garden, I can see how it is uniquely placed within the matrix of creation. Energy and matter are shuttled in and transformed by the life that lives there, then flow outward in various ways. I can see this transformation taking place in the compost pile, where last years leaves full of nutrients and latent energy are changed by the actions of bacteria, earthworms, and fungi. I see the bright green leaves filled with Chlorophyll absorbing sunlight to create sugars that fuel a whole host of reactions that build the plant, flowers, and fruit. And then there are all the millions of ‘guests’ who come to visit and chew on the leaves, sip the nectar, suck on the juice, fix nitrogen in root nodules, steal my just ripened berries, or grace the place with their beauty. It is an amazing miracle, what takes place in the ordinary garden.

Yes, everything is connected, and ultimately it all is connected to God. Think of all the infinite number of events that happen around us, both big and small. Consider the storms and the calms; the brightest days and darkest nights; the basic processes in nature and the dynamic revolutionary actions of DNA. The list is endless. Everything is connected, and we all connected to the God who created all things. He moves by the power of His Spirit throughout the entire world, and out into the farthest reaches of the universe. There is no place where He is not. He dwells even within our gardens, and especially so, within our hearts.

God knows all the subtle connections that tie together His creation. It is amazing to see just how gently He works, but also, how awesome are the results. A nudge here and a  jostle there, and a whole series of events is set in motion like a building wave. They culminate in carrying out His will to His glory and honor. God speaks with a still and quiet voice. He can move things with the gentlest of breezes, and yet His strength is beyond our comprehension.

The Church, the living body of Christ, is also interconnected in a tightly woven fabric. Even the most insignificant church and every poor unnoticed believer, has great value and importance to the health of the whole body. We suffer together the hardships of other believers. Together, we rejoice when others are uplifted and God is glorified. Each member is responsible to the whole. We are not islands, but more like one continent in Christ. In God’s eyes, we are both individuals, and parts of one body that makes up His church. Always connected to one another, and never separate from Him who made us to live.