Devotions

Rev Gav

Firmament

Psalms 19.1–4

The heavens are telling the glory of God
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
One day pours out its song to another
and one night unfolds knowledge to another.
They have neither speech nor language
and their voices are not heard,
Yet their sound has gone out into all lands
and their words to the ends of the world.

Reflect

A few weeks ago, Helen and I were staying on a friend’s remote croft (a tenant farm) on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It was nighttime and I was transferring some belonging from the cottage to the car when I looked up into the sky. What I saw before me stopped me in my tracks.

It was a calm, silent, moonless night and the heavens were open before me like nothing I had ever previously seen, with the milky way streaking across the sky. I choked up and began to well up with no words to describe the beauty and majesty of the firmament. It was literally breathtaking. I forced myself to peel my eyes from the sky and headed in to tell Helen she needed to get out of bed to see this! It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

I have no idea why the stars looked so stunning that night. Helen and I have seen stars in places such as Ascension Island in the South Atlantic, but they didn’t compare to this Scottish night sky. It was as if the veil between earth and heaven had been lifted, it humbled me, and spoke to my very inner being. I was moved beyond words.

I can only imagine this is what the writer of Psalm 19 was describing and it is a reminder that, in the midst of a busy and often troublesome life, we need to stop and take in God’s creation — to let it speak to our souls. We can see God in every aspect of God’s work if we take the time to marvel and allow it to move us. We might not all be able to see the stars as Helen and I did that night, but God’s handiwork is all around us, and in you and in me.

Today, may you find time to allow God to speak to you through creation, and may you be moved to give God thanks and praise.

Pray

Holy God
All creation speaks
of your majesty.
Help me take
time to stop,
and wonder at
your marvellous works,
and with a heart
humbled by your glory,
may I give you
my thanks and praise.
Now and forever.