God's Amazing Creation

 

Scripture

1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, ² the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. ³ Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. ⁴ And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. ⁵ God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

⁶ And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” ⁷ So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. ⁸ God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

⁹ And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. ¹⁰ God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. ¹¹ Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. ¹² The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. ¹³ And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

¹⁴ And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, ¹⁵ and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. ¹⁶ God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. ¹⁷ God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, ¹⁸ to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. ¹⁹ And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

²⁰ And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” ²¹ So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. ²² God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” ²³ And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

²⁴ And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. ²⁵ God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.  (NRSV)

Devotion

Last week, I spent a few days camping at my cousin's place as I attended our annual family reunion in the mountains of West Virginia.  We were at a new location this year, so there were new things to see and new places to explore.  There was also a passel of new relatives to meet.  One thing that remained the same was my wonder at the natural world around me.  From wildflowers and moths to an intrepid newt, God's good creation was all around us.  And whenever I paused from whatever errand I was running I couldn't help but gaze in awe of the wonders that God's hands have wrought.   Here is just a portion of what God revealed to me when I took the time to open myself to the glories of Creation:

• The way a toad's fingers curl around objects
  
• The patterns on a moth's wings and the delicateness of its antenna
  
• The leaves and petals of a flower
• The rustle of tree leaves in the breeze
• The smell of the air when rain is on the way
  
• The tiny spots on a newt's body and the way its throat moves
  
• The red splotch on some Queen Anne's lace
• The buzz of katydids in the night 
• The echo of bird calls just before dawn
  
• The cool damp of the morning dew
  

Each of these things is lovingly formed by the same Creator who molded us from the dust of the ground.  Each of these these things is a reason to praise God.  And I know that I often fail to notice each of these things as I rush to get through my days.  It was only when I stopped and payed attention that I got a glimpse of just how good God's creation truly is.

Today, I invite each of us to push pause and open ourselves to the wonders that surround us.  Whether we are inside or outside, on a farm in the country or in the middle of a busy city, God's wonders are there...often overlooked but never absent.  So let us take some deep breathes and take just a few minutes out of our day to notice the world around us.  As you breathe, take note of what you see...and hear...and feel...and smell...and even taste.  What is God drawing your attention to, and what is it about that thing that strikes you as worthy of praise?  

 

Prayer

I praise you, Creator, for the wonders that surround us.  Give me a grateful spirit that notices what you have made, so that I may be ever mindful of your creation around me and ever thankful that all things come from you.  Amen.