Be Still and Know - "O Lord, What A Variety Of Things You Have Made!"

(from www.premierchristianradio.com)

1. Psalm 104:24-25
   
   
   
   
   'O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small.'
   
   Many of the psalmists use the wonder of creation as a springboard for their worship. This particular psalm does so by reminding us of the six days of creation. The poetic language is beautiful. Take for example day one when God made light. He writes: “You are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens; you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds. You make the clouds your chariot; you ride upon the wings of the wind. The winds are your messengers; flames of fire are your servants” (Psalm 104:2-4). As he looks through the days of creation it becomes clear that God didn’t create the world and then disappear, but continues to have an active involvement in his creation.
   
   It is good for us to spend time reflecting on creation because, as we do so, we are bound to gasp in wonder. Let’s start with our bodies. Sir Isaac Newton, the famous scientist, said: “In the absence of any other proof, the thumb alone would convince me of God’s existence.” Our bodies are thought to be made up of about 100 trillion cells. We all have about 100 billion neurons which fire off between five and 50 messages each second. I could go on, but however you happen to be feeling today, let me assure you that you are amazing! If you look at a flower, you will need to do some more gasping. The intricate detail of each petal and leaf is awe-inspiring, to say nothing of the miracle of growth. Wherever you look, creation screams at us that God is a great God and worthy of all our praise.
   
   
   
   Many of us were taught from an early age to pray with our eyes shut. We were encouraged to do so to save us from distractions – and that makes a lot of sense. But I would strongly encourage you to pray with your eyes open from time to time. Look at the people around you and the world that God has made, and give thanks for the wonder of his creation. And as we do so let us gasp in wonder. Thomas Carlyle said that “wonder is the basis of worship” and I think he was right.
   
   
   
   
   
   Question: When did you last gasp in wonder at creation?
   
   Prayer: Creator God, I worship you. Forgive me for those times when I have taken your amazing world for granted. Teach me afresh how to enjoy the wonder of your creation. Amen