Lord of Creation

August 24

(Psalm 104:1-23 NIV) “Praise the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. {2} He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent {3} and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. {4} He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. {5} He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. {6} You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. {7} But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight; {8} they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them. {9} You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth. {10} He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. {11} They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. {12} The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. {13} He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work. {14} He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate-- bringing forth food from the earth: {15} wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart. {16} The trees of the Lord are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. {17} There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the pine trees. {18} The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the coneys. {19} The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. {20} You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl. {21} The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. {22} The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens. {23} Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening.”

In this hyper-scientific age we can easily forget that God is the Lord of creation. He spoke the universe into existence and provided it with light. At His command the foundations of our world were established. The clouds and the wind and the rain were His idea. God spoke and the Earth was covered with water. He spoke once more and the waters receded. He set boundaries for the waters and they will never cover the Earth again. Now, they give life as they provide drink and food for all of God’s creation. The mountains and the plains thrive under His care. In the sky, the sun and the moon speak of His glory and divide our lives into times of rest and times of work. Man lives to their rhythm. Their beauty and power and light are an echo of God’s nature. Look to the heavens. Look around at the marvels of nature. God is speaking to us. God is calling us to praise and worship. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day