The Greatness of God

"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all." 1 Chronicles 29:11

Sometimes there are just days when you need to take a minute and reflect on God. Actually, we should probably do that more often anyway, but I have found myself, so many times lately just stopping what I'm doing and thinking on God. It happens a lot when I'm outside. We have a pair of cardinals in our yard- a male and a female, and I just love watching them together. They are so pretty to watch, and they are definitely a couple- cardinals mate for life. Frequently when I'm watching them flit around, I catch my breath and I think about how God created these birds. I think about how God perfectly designed these birds- every thing about their body is perfectly designed for flight and for surviving in both the frigid winters and the hot summers here. And the vibrant red of the male cardinal is always something wonderful to see- God did that!

It's raining this morning, and as I really think about that, it fills me with awe. God designed rain to water the earth- to cause plants to grow and to give us water for everyday life- for drinking and using. Sure, sometimes it rains too much, and I think we'd all appreciate it if it didn't rain when we had a day planned outside, and yet, the rain IS God's perfect design.

Everything on this earth belongs to God. How often do we take a vacation to visit an iconic monument or something along those lines. I'm thinking like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone Park, or Niagara Falls. Those are God's! He created them to be just the way they are- and just as beautiful as they are. When we take the time to visit them, we stand in awe of this great monument of creation, but how many times do we think on the One who created them in the first place? What was God thinking when He designed Niagara Falls? What was He thinking when He created Yellowstone Park, with those geysers of hot, sulfuric steam and water shooting from the earth? Was it just something whimsical that He felt like doing- or is there a purpose there?

The island state of Hawaii has been on our minds lately, as my sister and her husband are moving there in a few weeks. Hawaii is such an amazingly beautiful place- that someday I hope to get to visit. (Easier to think of now with my sister there!) God created those islands to be what they are today- He caused them to be created from undersea volcanoes, spewing out more and more lava until the islands came into being. There are still active volcanoes there today! Is there a purpose behind volcanoes? Why did God create them? I just read an article about Mt. McKinley exploding in the early 1980's. When I think about that- when I think about the sheer force behind a mountain literally blowing it's top, I'm thankful that God designed volcanoes- they allow the earth to release built up pressure- it wouldn't be any good to have that pressure just building up over time until, poof! No more earth!

And speaking of Hawaii- not only is it a tropical location, but there are also mountains there where it gets cold enough to snow- and skiing resorts are built there. What kind of God decided that a tropical island would be an ideal location for a snow-capped mountain? I just love thinking about the God who designed the variety here on the earth. The Amazon rain forest, for example, all the wonders of wildlife there- God designed each and every one. The literal hundreds of breeds of tree frogs that live there- God created them- and I have to say that I wonder how much he delights in His creation. I sure hope that He does, because I sure know that we do! Zoos are some of our favorite places to visit, because we love to see the Works of His Hands up close and in person.

Another weekend is upon us, and it can be so easy to get wrapped up in the busy-ness of getting things done, or spending time visiting. I challenge that we should also take the time to delight in the greatness of God, and really see what it is that He has created. As the crops start to spring forth in the country, as the clouds pass by in the sky- God created it all, and God put them all here for just this time. Isn't that interesting to think of. Back when God designed the cardinal, He knew that someday He would put a pair in my yard for me and my family to delight in. That is also a very cool thought- and something that really makes me smile as we get ready to go about our day.

"When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?" Psalm 8:3-4

And yet with all this creation around us- God created you and I. Over all the things that God has created- He loves us best and cares for us so much that He sent His only son to redeem us from our sinful nature.

God is awesome.