“The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world.”
(Psalm 19:1-4)
The above Psalm is such a beautiful passage. It speaks of the incredible beauty of creation and the message that creation silently shouts from on high… “I am here and I am with you!” Ever since I was a boy I have found the night sky to be something of great wonder. Growing up on the farm north of White Lake there were many nights that I would wander out into a pasture and simply gaze at the stars.
One of my favorite things about Nancy and my annual early August vacation to northcentral Minnesota is that it is the time of the Perseids meteor shower. When the weather and cloud cover cooperate, I will lay on the beach gazing skyward waiting for the streaks of light caused by a rock, ice chunk, or a bit of dust entering our atmosphere.
So, you can imagine my delight on Tuesday evening of this week when I saw a post on Facebook about the Northern Lights being out and bright. (Thanks Parker!) It was indeed incredible. The vibrant reds and greens, even some blue and purple – it was quite a show. Once again, I found myself staring skyward and thinking of Psalm 19. What was also really cool to see was how the Facebook feed was suddenly overtaken by so many pictures posted showing the Northern Lights and many even proclaiming the beauty of God’s creation. All the political commentary, all the ugliness of humanity, all the self-promotion…it all disappeared for a few hours while the artistry of God was on full view for so many to see.
I have some special moments connected with northern lights, but I’ll save those stories for another time. I just want to say today that as spectacular as the northern lights were, there are so many other signs of God’s artistry, power, and presence out there in the world. Take a moment to notice a leaf. Eat something spicey and notice what it does in your mouth because of your tastebuds, etc.. Watch the clouds, notice a bug scurrying about doing its work. There is so much to see in this world that proclaims the presence of our God.
So, take a moment today to notice things in our world. And then remember to take a moment to give thanks to God for all creation (which includes us) and consider how creation all around us really does proclaim God’s handiwork, just as Psalm 19 says. God isn’t just present in the big moments or ways (like northern lights), I’ve also sensed God in the snuggles and coos of a baby. God can be present in a gentle touch, a smile, and even in a care-filled tear. May we take time to notice and give thanks for our God who is still creating all around us and even within us. Psalm 19 says “The heavens are telling the glory of God. That is true. But how about we take out the word “heavens” and fill in that blank space with something else that we notice today that reminds us of God’s glory. Thanks be to God for all the ways God is present in our midst and proclaiming the message, “I am here and I am with you!”
Pastor Keith