theStory of the Bible is one continuous narrative from its beginning in the book of Genesis through its finale in the book of Revelation, and what a story it is! That’s not to say that it is fictional or myth, a format that can’t be trusted to impart the truth. No; it is presented as story because we hear deep truth best when it is conveyed as a story.
Read More creationHave you ever felt overwhelmed with awe during an encounter with the natural world? God’s creation is designed to reveal God to us (compare Psalm 19; Romans 1), so it is not surprising that it can produce in us feelings of awe. Whether it is breathtaking scenery, observing animal life, seeing the night sky full of stars, or watching the sheer power of a mighty storm, nature has the God-given ability to make us aware of how small we are in comparison with the universe.
Read More creation, worship, awe, beautyJob 39 continues God’s discourse. The Lord continues to ask Job question after question, revealing how little Job understands about the world around him. Although the compassionate point of these questions is only seen in the next chapter, what God says here is still very meaningful.
Read More wisdom, creation
This is a big psalm! Big, bold, beautiful! Needs a wall-sized canvas, a broad brush and buckets of primary colors.
As a youth camp counselor some years back, I wondered how the teenagers in my cabin could be captured by the glory and majesty of our created world—but more importantly be captured by God who created such splendor.
Read More creation, majestyMaybe you’re like me? I can’t read this psalm without a host of beautiful images flooding my mind. Here we view nature at its best – a thunderstorm racing across the prairies, a waterfall cascading down a verdant mountainside, wildlife bounding across the African savannah, the mystery and bounty of the ocean depths. The psalmist sees it all – portrays it all within this psalm.
Read More praise, creationMoses was a master preacher. His speeches are a guide for this emerging nation-state. Following these rules Israel can become the example. Surrounding nations will recognize God’s love for all humanity, and the creatures too. But Moses was more than a powerful preacher. He was also the accomplished teacher, a master of his craft.
Read More creation, obedience, love, teachingSome of the earlier psalms we went through in this series have been lament psalms. Times of despair and crying out to a God who sometimes feels absent. But here we have a “let it all out and light the fireworks” psalm.
In Isaiah 40:28 (the Message) there is a great line which reads, “He’s the creator of all you can see or imagine.”
Read More creation, praise, joy, gloryLast night we had dinner with new friends who live on the shores of Georgian Bay. Afterwards our host asked, sort of tongue in cheek, if I wanted to have a deeply spiritual experience? His idea was to walk out onto the ice of the Bay and look at the night sky. I said sure and out we went, our wives choosing to tend to the warmth of the gas fireplace.
Man was it cold. We walked probably 200 meters off shore onto the vast, openness of the Bay.
Read More creation, joy, songThe world was an unknowable wilderness when our ancestors began to make their way in it. The nights were as dark as the bottom of the sea, and the stars had no names. We did not know what it was that broke twigs in the forest outside the ring of firelight, if it would be our friend or our devourer. We did not know what was bread and what was poison.
Read More creation, light, wildernessThere is a musical cadence to this psalm, evoking a picture of the psalmist as a conductor cueing each part of the natural world to join in a great celestial chorus. With a sweep of his baton he commands the stormy winds to hold the bass line. With a gentle gesture he calls upon the birds to add soprano trills. Hail adds percussive rhythm.
Read More joy, awe, creation, praise