In Awe


 

 

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made,
your works are wonderful I know that full well. Psalm 139:14

 
This morning I read a devotional message that spoke to the beauty of nature. As things of that genre often do, the passage made many references to the grandeur and glory of God’s handiwork and how we humans should feel so small in comparison. As I read I was mentally agreeing with it until the idea of how I was created stopped me.

We humans are the ones created in God’s image. Don’t get me wrong I am in awe of nature. In fact the first line of the message asked are you a beach or mountain person and I couldn’t choose.  Not terribly long ago I would have emphatically answered beach but recently my husband and I had an amazing vacation in the mountains. Months later, looking at those pictures I can easily feel the wonder of being in such a magnificent place. The world we live in is full of beauty. In fact when we were in the mountains I asked my husband if he thought the locals took their amazing scenery for granted. A few days later I repeated that question to a friend who lives in that area and she admitted, sadly, that yes, they do.

 We all do. There is wonder and beauty all around us. From things as grand as the Great Smoky Mountains to the beautiful simplicity of a blue jay, we are constantly in the presence of God’s incredible creation. Blue jays came to mind because the other day I was in the car with my granddaughter Isabelle as a blue jay flew by us gracefully but amazingly fast. It was breathtaking. God has been ridiculously good to us and it shows brilliantly in nature.

Still I’m not sure I’m quite on the same page as writers who think that because some of that handiwork is larger or perhaps more complicated that is more important than we are. Even the most beautiful mountain, ocean, bird or animal cannot say, as we can, that it was created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:27) How blessed we are to have been given all of those things to enjoy and how much more so to be able to be in relationship with the Creator.

 

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