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Listen while you read: "All Things Bright And Beautiful"1 (Lyrics) |
So far in this whole year of our Lord, 2016, my wife and I have travelled to many towns and villages in our area to lead in worship in our Presbyterian churches. Some were without a minister, and in others, the pastor was on leave or on vacation. As we travelled, we saw the beauty of nature. There was snow in the winter, early growth in the spring, the maturing of different kinds of grain in the summer, and then harvest in the late summer and autumn.
There were flowers along the sides of the roads, animals in the fields, and geese in the ponds looking for a good place to build a nest and raise their young. On one trip in late August, we drove by a field of grain which had just been cut, and there were at least three hundred Canada geese feeding on the grain which was left behind. Those beautiful birds were getting ready for their annual trip south. We stopped on the side of the road and admired them for a while. Closer to home, we see the flowers in our garden and birds at the feeders. There is no doubt about it, as the psalmist said:
Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. (NKJV)
Yet there are people who just don't believe that God exists. I read a story about a man who claimed that he might believe if he had some visual proof that God is there, like a thunderclap on a clear day or a voice from heaven. Some scientists spend their lifetimes trying to discover the origin of things and indeed of the earth. But the Bible is very explicit on this subject:
Genesis 1:1 – In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (NKJV)
There are a great many passages in the Bible which show the greatness of God, therefore:
Psalm 96:11-12 – Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; Let the sea roar, and all its fullness; Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord. (NKJV)
When we arrive at the church where we are going to worship, I look around and see the people: the elderly, men and women, and little children — the crowning glory of God's creation — people who worship Him, who pray to Him, who sing praises to His name, because we know that He is with us, and as the Bible says, we, all of us, are made in His image:
Genesis 1:26a – Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." (NKJV)
The refrain of a much-loved hymn sums it all up:
- All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
– Cecil Frances Alexander
When you drive somewhere, when you go for a walk, when you look out your living room window, do you see the beauty of nature, too? Remember, the Lord God made it all.
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, we thank You for the beauty of Your creation, and it is our prayer that more people would believe that You created it all. We offer this prayer in Jesus' name. Amen.
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Very true Joel.
Thank you always for your devotionals.
Wonderful devotion, though I enjoy all the ones you submit.
Yes, Joel, like the heavens, let us declare the glory of God. Thanks for sharing this devotional. Blessings.
Happy Thanksgiving Joel. You certainly understand the meaning of giving ‘Thanks’ and sharing your blessings.
Thank you Joel for reminding us that the beauty of nature surrounding us is God’s handiwork – as are we. So much detail; He thought of everything!
Joel, it’s such a beautiful world sometimes I can’t even imagine that heaven is even MORE beautiful! Happy Thanksgiving to you and thanks for the message.
Thank you, Joel, for this beautiful message. Nothing says God’s glory to me like the beauty of the changing seasons.
Blessings.
Thanks Joel. Yesterday driving home, I had to stop to take a few pictures of the beautiful trees changing colour, and I thought exactly what you wrote about. How can anyone deny there is a God if they open their eyes and look around.
Good morning Joel! Thank you for all your meaningful devotionals!! Beautiful scenery this time of year. Thank you God, thank you Joel and thank you to all the inspiriting devotional writers; you start my day off on the right foot.
Dear Reverend (?) Jongkind
Although I now live in the states I have find memories of summers near Georgian Bay. I loved your quote:
Are we shopping for what we want from God, or seeking what He wants for us?
Blessings.
I live in an apartment building on the 4th floor in a small town. I have a school beside me and lots of green grass and trees. I enjoy the view here every day, every season, but this morning it is absolutely beautiful with the trees turning colour and the sun shining on them. I thank God for giving me this home here and the view of his magnificent nature. Thank you for this devotional this morning.
So important! Yet many people dont think there’s any scientific evidence for creation and dismiss it. Every nature program on TV is from an evolutionary perspective. I have found so many scientific articles supporting creation, intelligent design and the biblical record. For those of us who simply believe the Bible is the Word of God and true, we don’t need further “proof” and so have neglected providing our youth with information that they can use to counter what the culture is pushing on them and indeed, believe. Thanks for the reminder. God bless your continuing ministry!
Your message this morning says it all. I awoke early and lay in bed feeling thankful for the day. Fresh, cool clean air coming through the window, birds chattering in the trees and now the sky is lightening with a touch of pink in the east. How fortunate we are to be blessed, living in this wonderful country. When I was a teenager I sang in the junior choir at our church in Sask. One Thanksgiving, after our morning service, and after our special dinner (we ate our main meal at noon) our choir headed out to a small prairie hamlet and joined their Thanksgiving service in their little church. The prairies are especially beautiful in the autumn. It was a very special day. Only our God could have created such beauty. You brought all those memories back this morning. Thank-you.
(BC)
Joel, with you I pray that more people will come to the insight that the Lord God created all.
Let’s say the earth is 4 billion years old, and it keeps producing clean water, food, inventions, etc. I know God is the creator, and all these are gifts to us all. And this old earth is still spinning and going around. We just have to look around. The universe did not just happen, it’s all there.