Daily Bread

The Lord is gracious and merciful,
long-suffering and of great goodness.
The Lord is loving to everyone
and his mercy is over all his creatures.
All your works praise you, O Lord,
and your faithful servants bless you.
They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your mighty power,
To make known to all peoples your mighty acts
and the glorious splendour of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;
your dominion endures throughout all ages.
The Lord is sure in all his words
and faithful in all his deeds.
The Lord upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all those who are bowed down.
The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord,
and you give them their food in due season.
You open wide your hand
and fill all things living with plenty.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and loving in all his works.

In our modern, technologically advanced age, it wasn't until I was 19 years old that I first saw the Milky Way — the mass of stars that make up the edge of the spiral galaxy of which our star, the sun, belongs. I grew up living in a large town, where every night the ambient light from a million yellow street lamps obscured the view of all but the brightest stars. It wasn't until I travelled to Australia, and one night sat next to my tent in a remote part of the outback that I first, in a place without light pollution, looked up at the night sky. The 'glorious splendour' of the stars was awe-inspiring, and I wept at the majesty and the beauty of the heavens. Perhaps it is no coincidence that I gave my life to Jesus in that wild, lonely place.

I worry that today our young people are so surrounded by technology — growing up with little green space, surrounded by concrete, and staring at screens — that they miss the way in which God's works themselves praise God. Putting it theologically, I wonder if we are all in danger of spending time marvelling at that which our own hands have made, rather than marvelling at that which God has made?

I remember once, walking my children to school and Rowena, my youngest, had fallen behind. I turned to shout and hurry her along, but she had stopped to literally smell some roses, and so I stopped too. As she marvelled at the roses, so I marvelled at her.

Time spent enjoying God's creation is time never wasted. Today, wherever you are, I hope and pray you get time to stop and smell the roses or look up and see the stars, and as they speak of God's praise, may they also lead your own heart to praise our God.

Holy God
Thank you for your marvellous works that praise you,
that tell of the glory of your kingdom,
and speak of your mighty power.
Help me to lift my eyes to see your creation
and to marvel at the beauty and majesty
of that which your hand has made.
And so may my own heart turn towards you,
and give you the praise and worship you are due.
Now and forever.