Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad
(Read Genesis 1 and Psalm 96)
A long time ago, I heard a significant sermon from a past Pastor that has stuck with me for more than two decades. He told us of a memorable story of being stuck on a small sailboat out at sea, being blasted by a freak storm. His message began with a vivid image of sailing out of a harbor baked by the afternoon sun. He mentioned the sun peaking through the tall grasses on the side of the shoreline, looking like a golden coating. The water was dancing, shimmering from the power of the August sunshine. I remember clearly, his almost sarcastic smile as he told us he knew that God was blessing their journey, their boat, and of course, them too.
My wife’s family has owned a beautiful, rustic cabin in a small, mountain lake community in Vermont since the early part of the 20th century. One winter, they moved the cabin from the small town across a frozen lake to the other side along the western edge. They used giant timbers to roll the cabin as high upon the shore as they could. Perched on a giant rock, that would become a cornerstone for this spectacular cottage for almost a century. We have counted more than 57 family and friends who we have invited to share time with us in “God’s little slice of heaven” over the years here. The phrase was coined by my wife’s step father, the grandson of the original founders of the cabin. If there is a slice of heaven, it’s here in this place.
While standing on the dock one afternoon this week, my friend mentioned to me that he was awestruck with the natural, pristine, and God-brushed beauty of everything in our sight. He said, “How can you not see God’s hand in all of this?” The rolling edge of the top of the green mountains across the blue lake frames our view. It spans from the south to the north as far as you can see. Behind us are rolling hills, a winding gravel road, pine trees, and farmland.
And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
Genesis 1:9-13
As I’m writing this devotional, I am deluged by some of the sounds of God’s creation. The chattering of small red tree squirrels, the lonely song of loons, the screeching of eagles soaring above the ageless pines, an occasional splash of large mouth bass breaking water in front of me (which is a huge distraction) and the gentle whispering sound of breezes pouring through the woods. My friend looked at me and told me to stop what I was doing. Stop talking. Stop whatever busy thing I was doing. He said, “Just look at this! Look around, this is God’s creation. None of this is because of us. He continued, “Everywhere you look, you see what God has made.”
My wife has been coming up here for over 50 years and I’m a newbie of 36 years. Truth be told, there have been some years I didn’t feel like making the long trip. The internet is spotty at best. The weather can be fickle. The mosquitoes can be relentless. In years when we did something else for a family vacation or work is extremely busy, I would sometimes lobby to skip a year. “You can skip, I’m going,” she would say.
God’s breath, as in the Bible, is visible and present in every single thing here. But the entire Earth is God-blessed. From the parched land of a dry riverbed, to a tropical beach, to a dirty, polluted city street. God’s blessing is in all of His creations. He doesn’t favor one over another.
“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
Job 12:7-10
So, the conversation with my friend who had me pause to soak in the glory of God’s creation, sent me back to the sermon I mentioned at the top of this devotional. He told us how privileged and special they felt as they set sail through the calm, tranquil harbor. He said that he and others on the boat kind of felt invincible, as if God guaranteed them a perfect time. You probably know where this is going. What happened next didn’t change his views on God or His blessings, but it opened his eyes about them. They were next met with the violent burst of a summer storm. Pelting rain, crashing waves, gail force winds, thunder, and lightning. They saw it all.
God is behind every glorious sunrise. Every tranquil afternoon we’re given, God is there. Every quiet night surrounded by the love of family, is a gift from God. So are the storms. Maybe not gifts, but God is present in our storms and trials as much as He is in our triumphs. The crew mentioned in the sermon I heard from years past, feared for their lives. They weren’t qualified for this kind of situation. The storm blew up out of nowhere and as novices, they weren’t equipped to see it coming, to prepare for it, or to respond. Luckily, they eventually found their way to land and safety.
The Pastor told us that God was just as visible to him during the storm and their scratch for survival as He was while they coasted through the sunlit harbor. He never would have thought that God would be there in tragedy as He is in happiness. He is there in our funny stories and in the hard conversations about loss. God is always there – in everything.
Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong; like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest, like a storm of mighty, overflowing waters, he casts down to the earth with his hand.
Isiah 28:2
We all have favorite times, memories, and places in our life. Often, sounds and smells evoke more memories from our treasured past than do sights. I think that one reason, we love to hold on to these incredible experiences is because they give us comfort. We feel safe and protected. We feel invulnerable to crisis when we’re in those safe spaces. When we believe in Jesus as our Savior, we are truly safe. It’s not the overwhelming beauty of God’s creation that keeps us safe, it’s the overwhelming glory of His grace, the sacrifice of His son that gives us eternal protection.
I often go back to the indescribable memories of a sunset surfing session when another friend and I experienced the best waves of our lives. The blue-green waves were huge but perfect. We were the only ones out. We surfed until we couldn’t paddle any longer. It was dark when we dragged ourselves out of the water. To this day, I can’t recall seeing better waves than that one August evening. God was there. God was also there the next morning, when the waves were flat and we were getting nailed by relentless biting flies blown over from the mainland.
Sitting on the front porch of this rustic cabin, I think back to all the memories we’ve experienced here. From five straight days of rain, to seeing a friend fall through the rotten wood of the front porch, to clogged septic tanks, to a cloudless sunny morning. God’s presence is here and there. When it comes to this place on Earth, this slice of Heaven, my wife connects better than anyone I know. She does that pause thing every minute she’s here. She knows that God’s in all things in our life. She just feels Him more here than anywhere else.
Look for God in every place and every situation. When you’re challenged, look to Him. When you’re on a mountaintop, call to Him. When you believe and you are saved, thank Him.
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Psalm 96:11-12
Key Applications:
- Find a place that makes you feel alive. Find somewhere that shouts God’s creation to you. Take at least 30-seconds and just breathe. Soak it in. Pray and thank God for His work.
- When you’re mired in stress or conflict, remember God’s glory in your favorite place. Call to God, pray to Him. Take at least 30-seconds and just breathe. Soak it in. Pray and thank God for His work.
- Stop the forward progress in your life for a moment. Soak in His creation and His glory. We’re better and more effective when we are fresh and recharged. No matter what you’re doing this week, take a moment to enjoy, to relish, to remember — God’s beauty is in all things.
Where else in your life can you live out the teachings of Christ? Look for next week’s Devotion.