Sensing Creation’s Praise

I can still remember the day I learned about special and general revelation in the upstairs catechism room of my church. The idea that God revealed Himself through His creation, as well as through Scripture, was a game-changer for me because, let’s be honest, I can sometimes be intimidated by reading the Bible. I don’t always know where to begin, and I’m nervous that I’ll interpret it incorrectly. So, when I learned that God also reveals Himself through His creation, I was so relieved.

As I sit here, I can feel my unborn child wriggling around trying to find a comfortable space in his cramped quarters; I can hear the cardinal chirping outside my window; I can see the leaves of the maple tree gently blowing in the breeze; I can taste the fresh carrots that were picked just this morning; and I can smell the farm just a few miles west of my home. My senses are buzzing with creation’s activity this evening!

In our Scripture reading today, we read in verse nine that “The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.” Verses 14 through 17 continue to proclaim that God provides and cares for every living thing. I like to think that this applies to all of the observations I just made: He has been carefully forming the child inside me for the past eight-and-a-half months; He also hears the cardinal and provides the materials for its nest; He provides the sunshine and rain for the maple tree to grow; and He even uses the source of some not-so-pleasant smells to further His kingdom. This is just what God is orchestrating in my small corner of the universe. Now, think about how much more He is doing at this very moment.

As we continue to read the passage for today, we see that the Lord is near to all who call on Him, and He watches over all who love him. It’s comforting to think that the God who is causing the maple tree outside my window to grow is also listening to my own needs. He has the whole creation to worry about, and yet, He still listens to me.

When we think about everything that God does, how can we keep from praising Him? The last verse of our Psalm says, “My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.” As you go about your day, I want to encourage you to use your senses to see how creation is praising God. What do you see, feel, smell, hear, or taste? Notice how all of those things are orchestrated by God, and when they work together, they are praising His name!