Let The Earth Rejoice!

"The LORD reigns;
         Let the earth rejoice;
         Let the multitude of isles be glad!"  Psalm 97:1

The earth does rejoice.  The earth rejoices daily because the Lord reigns.  All one needs to do is look at any growing thing and see that it reaches up towards heaven.  The trees lift their arms towards their Creator in worship and adoration.  Even a simple blade of grass reaches as high as it can to praise the God who created it.

In those places on earth where there are no trees or growing things you can find something else that praises God daily- the mountains and the dunes.  Think of a sandy dessert, it's filled with sand dunes- every single one of them reaching up towards heaven.  The frozen tundra is full of icebergs and mountain tops- every single one lifted to God on High.

Isn't that fun to think of?  It's such a joy to think of all the earth around me praising God with every moment of its being.  As I watch little seedlings begin to grown in my house, they sprout, and then they grow quickly- with arms extended, reaching out for Daddy with every moment of growth.

The other day I was reading in Job, and I came upon these verses about the storehouses of snow and hail, and they made me pause this time.

“Have you entered the treasury of snow,
      Or have you seen the treasury of hail, ²³ Which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
      For the day of battle and war?"  Job 38:22-23

Because it says that God has reserved the snow and hail for times of trouble and battle and war.  And it makes me wonder what it is that we humans don't see.  I know there is a supernatural world around me- filled with angels and demons doing battle and keeping watch.  These verses are maybe giving us a little hint as to what goes on.  All the snow that has been falling on the country this year?  I believe that God is telling us that He is cleansing our nation of impurities.  I believe that it has been a time of war in the heavenlies over the United States of America, and that righteousness will prevail.  While we can't see what is going on, we do get to see the beautiful snow after it's fallen.  What grace from God- that we not see the battle going on around us, but simply the righteousness that remains when the battle is finished.

All the earth around us speaks of the things that God is doing... If only we could learn to see what it is the earth speaks.  For myself, as I look at the trees daily- whether they be dormant, or in leaf, every single one reaches towards the sky with arms wide open.  Evergreen trees, even, are uniquely shaped, almost in an arrow- pointed directly towards God above.   Also, as I watch each seedling sprout in preparation for this year's gardening adventure- every single sprout speaks of the goodness of God.  They speak of His promises that we need never worry, and they speak of His promises that He is always doing something new. 

The earth rejoices simply because He is Lord.  We can use that for an example.  We need to rejoice, simply because God is God.  We don't need a reason to rejoice- we don't need something good to happen to rejoice.  All we need is Him.