The World Race has provided me with so many glorious opportunities to revel in the majesty of all the Lord has created. As I’ve sat back and watched thousands of stars glittering in the black of night suspended over a lake surrounded by mountains, as I’ve been hit by the waterfall spray from of of the Seven Wonders of the world, as I’ve seen sunsets all over the globe and rode elephants and watched volcanoes spit up fiery goop, I can’t help but feel in awe over what an artist our God is.
(From top: the sun rising over Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, Tier 7 of the Erawan waterfalls in Canchenaburi Thailand, Victoria Falls in Livingstone Zambia)
I can only imagine God being there, thinking to Himself “Oh yes, they’re going to like this. Just watch.”, and speaking a sunrise into motion or forming the rivers and mountains into existence.
I believe that He created this whole big world for us to love, and I believe that He finds joy in our joy at the work of His hands.
(From top: the volcano Fuego erupting in Antigua Guatemala, Pictured Rocks in Munising Michigan)
Daily on my Facebook feed, I see pictures and posts from friends in Ireland, Peru, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Thailand, the Philippines, and all over the United States and Canada. I see a lot of awe-inspiring sights. But, as my friend Danielle (who’s currently in Ireland and doesn’t know that I am stealing her quote that she posted on Facebook today. Thanks Danielle, Ily.) pointed out,
“God created the Grand Canyon and He saw it and called it good. But God also created the homeless man down the street, and he was called VERY good.”.
The thing is, if these sights are so breathtakingly beautiful, if the things of this earth can make us stop in our tracks and glorify our King, then how much more beautiful are we as human beings created in the IMAGE OF GOD?
I think that the most incredible sights we find around the world are the same sights we see at the dinner table. It’s God’s people. His chosen ones, holy and dearly beloved. It’s you, it’s me, it’s the kid next door who throws rocks at your dog. We are the ones whom the Creator breathed life into and declared to be very good, are the ones created in the image of the invisible God who is above all things.
Psalm 19:1-4 tells us that,
“He heavens declare the glory of God;
The skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night the display knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”
Birds chirp. Streams gurgle. The wind whispers. The whole earth sings His praises, all without saying a word.
But you guys. WE are His special possession. Can you just imagine that for a second? Can you just sit back and think about how amazing the whole earth is, being something that God SPOKE into being, but then think about how much more beautiful we are, and how God FORMED us. Intentionally and deliberately, God molded us into His likeness. We are the pinnacle of His creation, and that is pretty awesome.
“Do we not dwell in the gallery of our God? Isn’t the sky His canvas and humanity His magnum opus? Are we not enriched by artistry? Sunsets burning. Waves billowing.
And isn’t the soul His studio? The birthing of love, the bequeathing of grace. All around us miracles pop like fireflies.”– Max Lucado
