The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Ps. 19:1-3
Dear heavenly Father, as I begin my day, the summer heat and humidity have been ushered off the calendar by 50ish degree early mornings. Soon you will begin to paint our trees and hills, with the kaleidoscopic beauty of Fall.
Slow me down, Father. Slow me down in the coming days to savor nature’s declaration of your glory. I’ve been way too busy this summer, and I don’t want to waste the upcoming Fall. Tune my ears to hear what you want to show me about yourself through the things you have made.
The pouring forth of nature-speak is endless, wondrous, and sumptuous—a visual, auditory, aromatic smorgasbord of delights. How can anyone with any degree of sensual awareness ponder creation and not worship you, the Creator of all things?
Father, you created the sonic dessert of waves crashing on the shoreline and the mesmerizing sparkle in my grandson’s eyes. It was you who designed the Swiss Alps—delectable and irrepressible in their power, to draw forth awe from my soul. You hand paint every “Brookie”, Brown, and Rainbow Trout in the world, and you decorate our fowl friends with your along feather artistry.
You’re responsible for the permanent smile on the face of dolphin, the crunch in toffee, and the aroma in coffee. You gave the gift of melody to The Beatles and the gift of symphony to Beethoven. You are the envy of every artist who studies sunrises and sunsets, some of your best and most daily work.
Topping everything you have done to reveal the good, true, and beautiful, it was you, Father, who gave Jesus for us. Not content just to be a magnificent Creator, you choose to be a merciful Redeemer. O, how we praise you, O, how we praise you! Indeed, slow us way down this Fall; slow us way down. May we hear you speaking louder than ever to us, in the things you have made and in the One you have given. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus mighty and merciful name.