Day 3

The Bible gives us three ways that God has revealed Himself, and these three ways help us understand not only who God is, but how He relates to us – through nature, the Word, and through Jesus, His Son.

In Psalms we read, *“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world”* (Psalm 19:1-4).

In Romans Paul writes, *“Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made”* (Romans 1:20).

Just look around. Who God is – what He is like – is all around us. How can we not testify to the goodness of a grand Designer when we step out and explore nature, enjoy the wildlife therein, as well as embrace our own humanity? This is precisely why I believe it would take more faith to believe there is no God than it would to believe that there is one. Creation is a running commentary of who and what God is.

David was awestruck. *“When I look at Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place”* (Psalm 8:3). He went on to write, *“Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them”* (Psalm 11:2).

Jesus told His disciples, *“Consider how the wildflowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these”* (Luke 12:27).

The very flowers smile under God’s goodness. The sun, the moon, the stars, day after day, night after night, do the same. Their revelations, boasting not in words, but in their silence, testifying, openly, loudly, their praise of God’s amazing goodness. It is a kaleidoscope of beauty, of color, radiant, all around us, cascading in chorus of the greatness, the goodness of their Creator, asking us to join in, sharing the same, that God is good, all the time.

Dutch theologian and writer Henri Nouwen inspires us to take up our calling as stewards of God’s creation, and to appreciate all that God created surrounding us. He writes, “When we think of oceans and mountains, forests and deserts, trees, plants and animals, the sun, the moon, the stars, and all the galaxies, as God’s creation, waiting eagerly to be *“brought into the same glorious freedom as the children of God”* (Romans 8:21), we can only stand in awe of God’s majesty and God’s all-embracing plan of salvation. It is not just we, human beings, who wait for salvation in the midst of our suffering; all of creation groans and moans with us longing to reach its full freedom.”

**QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION**

1. When was the last time you took time to admire God’s creation? What did you notice?

2. Write down some words that express the glory of God.

3. How can you represent God’s glory to others today?

*Father, oh how I can zip through my day and forget to see what is all around me – Your majestic creation! Help me to pause and be filled with complete awe of You. Thank You for helping me to see nature through Your eyes. Amen.*