My
Old Testament journey took me through Genesis 13 – 19, Psalms 13 – 19, and
Joshua 13 – 19. Within that I came
across a very familiar passage that has interestingly resonated a bit more
deeply than it has in the past.
Fascinatingly, it’s a consequence of the commute to work I now take on.
The
passage in particular is in Psalm 19:1 – 6 … probably one that will be
recognizable for you, too …
The heavens proclaim the
glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to
speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their
voice is never heard. Yet their message
has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the
sun. It bursts forth like a radiant
bridegroom after his wedding. It
rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race. The sun rises at one end of the heavens and
follows its course to the other end.
Nothing can hide from its heat.
I
have to say, one of the surprising things about my new job is how enjoyable the
commute is. The logical reaction to that
is … “HUH? You drive an hour or more
each way. How can that be
enjoyable?” Great question. Don’t get me wrong … I’d just as soon drive
the seven minutes I used to have to drive for the past four years. But I have to say, I drive probably the most
picturesque route in the US … driving through south Orange County and north San
Diego County, right by the ocean most all the way, is pretty awe-striking. The time of morning that I leave usually
allows me the blessing of seeing the sunrise on the left of my car and its
reflection on the ocean on the right side of my car, not to mention the general
beauty of the Pacific with or without the sunrise.
The
thing I wonder is, is this beauty so enjoyable because it’s new … because it’s
novel … because I haven’t gotten sick of it yet? Will it eventually just fade into the
backdrop of a drive on a freeway that could just as well be any freeway in the
US? Might this energizing scenery
sometime soon become a nuisance?
I
think, then, of David’s words in Psalm 19 … the reminder he gives us of the
glory that God demonstrates in all of His creation. The heavens … the stars, the heavenly bodies,
space, and all that is encapsulated in it and reflected by it. The skies … the clouds, the colors, the
paintbrush strokes you can sometimes see in a sunrise or sunset. Those represent His handiwork … His
creativity, His care and love for creation, His joy in just making something
beautiful. The sun … its immensity, its
power, its impact on our entire solar system, its importance in sustaining all
life on Earth … the unfathomable way it paints a picture each and every morning
and evening, a picture that is never once the same.
And
so … my takeaway from all this?
God
is allowing me, in only the way He can, to take a little more stock of His
majesty each day as I drive (or take the train … it’s really no different) to
and from my San Diego-based office. Each
day I’ve noticed something that all too often we take for granted. It reminds me of a scene from the 1980s movie
“Running Scared” where Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines are vacationing in south
Florida and notice a group of people standing around the beach at the end of
the day looking out over the sea. Billy
Crystal asks this lady, “What are you all looking at?” She responds, “The sun. It’s setting.” He says, “No, really.” She says, “Yeah, we’re looking at the
sunset.” He just shakes his head,
perplexed.
I
think we all too often look past the beauty of God’s creation. Too many sunsets go unnoticed. Too many amazing products of the Lord’s hand
escape our attention. Just Friday as I
was stuck in traffic on Torrey Pines Road (one of the most beautiful streets
I’ve ever driven) I took a picture of the sunset. It was magnificent. The colors were crazy. There were some clouds that looked like they
were just streaked across the sky and they added a texture that made the sky
look like you could feel it. I just
smiled and said, “Thanks God.” I was
actually glad I was stuck in traffic.
Huh????
What
I think God was saying to me in this Psalm of David and what I’ve been learning
the past two weeks is … take a second look.
Notice stuff. Appreciate things. Look as God’s glory and handiwork, not just
in the skies or sunsets, but in all things.
Nothing exists but for God having conceived it, designed it, and
personally created it. He did that not
only to demonstrate His power and glory, but He also did it for our enjoyment. What a shame it is when we neglect it. It’s like when we give someone a beautiful
gift and they just set it aside, unopened and unappreciated.
So
… let’s notice the sunsets and sunrises; appreciate seeing and elderly couple
taking a walk, holding hands even after decades of marriage; listen to the
sound of a hawk gliding around in the sky; watch the way a baby smiles,
cross-eyed, when he / she notices something for the very first time and tries
to grasp its substance; notice laughter in a crowded restaurant; go to the
beach (if there’s one nearby … if not, come visit us and we’ll join you … haha)
and listen to the waves crashing … not a single one of them sounds the same
(trust me); look at the colors on trees in the fall; smell a flower or two; listen
to truly wonderful music of whatever genre … yep, even rap and metal. Just … NOTICE and APPRECIATE. That’s God’s desire for us. Why?
Just because He loves us so much.
Let’s
ask the Lord in prayer this week to help us stop and notice. At least just one thing. Let’s slow down a little and see, hear,
touch, smell, etc. How we rob ourselves
when we look past it all. Let’s pledge
to take a second look.
Praising
God for you and lifting you up to Him,
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