Tag: wonder

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Sunsets

Daily Reading

Romans 1-3

Daily Thought

Paul has longed to share the Gospel with the Romans, “for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). By Greek, Paul means Gentiles, the non-Jews. Speaking to the Romans of a Jewish Savior, Paul begins with something they have in common, with the world they can see, in order to explain the unseen, “for what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made” (Romans 1:19-20).

I looked up the science of a sunset: the Raleigh equation along with Mie theory employing discrete dipole approximation will mathematically account for the enhancement of the colors of the sky. 

Okay.

Then I looked at the sunset. The firmament unfolding in front of me, colors stroking the heavens. I called my wife and holding her hand, we gazed. Whatever she was doing would wait because the world had stopped and we surveyed the skies, taking time to taste the wonder of the Almighty. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” (Psalm 19:1-2).

Science can explain how a beautiful sunset comes to be, but not why we stop and stand and stare in wonder. This is worship.

Daily Prayer

Wonderful God, what an incredible creation. The splendor, the spectacular array of colors, shapes, aromas. They speak of Your majesty, Your artistry, Your creativity, Your wisdom, Your power. All of creation glorifies You.

You have called me Your “poema,” Your workmanship, Your poem. God, when I look at each person You created, I see a work of art. Your work. My Creator, I pray I will always treat Your workmanship with love and respect, appreciating the wonder of Your handiwork in each and every one of us. I stand and gaze and marvel at Your creation. I worship You. Oh my God, my Creator, my Savior, Heavenly Father, Lord. What a life! You are wonderful.

Amen

Daily Question

What in creation speaks most to you of God? What does it say to you about God?

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An Awful Lot of Space

Daily Reading

Psalm 103-105

Daily Thought

“The universe is a pretty big space. It’s bigger than anything anyone has ever dreamed of before,” says Ellie Arroway, a character in the movie “Contact,” adapted from a novel by American astrophysicist Carl Sagan. “So, if it’s just us, seems like an awful waste of space, right?” As if size makes a difference. She dreams of the greatness of the universe, but cannot imagine the grandeur of God.

O Lord my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
covering yourself with light as with a garment,
stretching out the heavens like a tent.
He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;
he makes the clouds his chariot;
he rides on the wings of the wind.” ~Psalm 104:1-3

If, to God, “a thousand years are but as yesterday” (Psalm 90:4), then what of light years and solar systems and black holes and galaxies and an awful lot of space? There is no difference in effort to create birds that fly or stars that shoot, so even if it’s just for us, I delight in creation and adore the Creator, and that is the point. “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all” (Psalm 104:24). A wall calendar might do, but God “made the moon to mark the seasons” (Psalm 104:19). God fills the dreams of the Psalm writers, so that we would look to the stars and know “as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him” (Psalm 103:11).

The universe is a pretty big space and that is an awful lot of love.

Daily Prayer

My God, Maker of the heavens, Creator of the earth, wow! What a world! Your fingerprints are seen in everything, the wisdom of Your ways, the wonder of Your workmanship. You are mighty and majestic, and You are my God.

I’m amazed at Your attention, that You look after me, and more, that You rescued me. You, the king of the heavens became a baby on earth, and served man, and died for me. There is no greater love, no wonder you made a big universe to display it.  You are worthy of my praise and my all. I worship You.

Amen

Daily Question

What do you learn about God when you look up at the heavens?

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Sunsets

Daily Reading

Romans 1-3

Daily Thought

Paul has longed to share the Gospel with the Romans, “for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). By Greek, Paul means Gentiles, the non-Jews. Speaking to the Romans of a Jewish Savior, Paul begins with something they have in common, with the world they can see, in order to explain the unseen, “for what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made” (Romans 1:19-20).

I looked up the science of a sunset: the Raleigh equation along with Mie theory employing discrete dipole approximation will mathematically account for the enhancement of the colors of the sky. Okay.

Then I looked at the sunset. The sky unfolding in front of me, colors stroking the heavens. I called my wife and holding her hand, we gazed. Whatever she was doing would wait, because the world had stopped, and we surveyed the skies, taking time to taste the wonder of the Almighty. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” (Psalm 19:1-2). Science can explain how a beautiful sunset comes to be, but not why we stand in wonder and gaze. This is worship.

Daily Prayer

Wonderful God, what an incredible creation. The splendor, the spectacular array of colors, shapes, aromas. They speak of Your majesty, Your artistry, Your creativity, Your wisdom, Your power. All of creation glorifies You.

You have called me Your “poema,” Your workmanship, Your poem. God, when I look at each person You created, I see a work of art. Your work. My Creator, I pray I will always treat Your workmanship with love and respect, appreciating the wonder of Your handiwork in each and every one of us. I stand and gaze and marvel at Your creation. I worship You. Oh my God, my Creator, my Savior, Heavenly Father, Lord. What a life! You are wonderful.

Amen

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Slow Down

Daily Reading

Job 35-37

Daily Thought

Elihu continued to speak, and, surprisingly, made some sense. Job’s problem was not he had sinned, but he was too focused on himself. “Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God” (Job 37:14), was Elihu’s advice, and good, at that. Something, in fact, I should keep in mind.

I often drive back and forth between northern and southern California, always on Interstate 5, fast lane, of course. It’s a straight shot, no distractions. NO DISTRACTIONS. Nothing to see, nothing to do. With one stop at Kettleman City for an In-N-Out double-double, I’m there. 400 miles, 6½ hours.

Interstate 5, every time. Except twice. Two times I detoured west along Highway One–a two-lane road, bending and curving, hugging the California coast. Santa Cruz, Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur, San Simeon, Santa Barbara, it commands frequent stops to take in fog-shrouded cliffs, rugged canyons, windswept cypress trees, the crashing surf of the Pacific Ocean. 500 miles, 9 hours.

Ninety-eight percent of the time, I choose speed over splendor. But lately I’ve been asking myself, ‘Why?’ Why in the world do I hurry to Los Angeles  …and bypass the wonders of God? Or as a couple guys named Simon and Garfunkel put it, “Slow down, you move too fast.”

Daily Prayer

God of wonders, what a creation!! The stars so vast, beyond count, and yet you hold them in Your palm and name them. The depth of the oceans and height of the mountains do not surpass Your grandeur. Rather, they reflect Your majesty and mystery.

Lord, may I measure my days. May I be productive and do the work You have called me to do. May I also rest and worship. May I stop long enough to look at this world around me and reflect. May creation draw me to the wonder and worship of its Creator.

Amen