Contemplation

For the Lord is the one who shaped the mountains, stirs up the winds, and reveals his thoughts to mankind. He turns the light of dawn into darkness and treads on the heights of the earth. The Lord God of Heaven’s Armies is his name!

Amos 4:13 (NLT)

Have you ever sat in silence and tried to comprehend God? If not, you definitely should try it. Find a quiet place, free of distractions and let your mind examine the things we know to be true about God. Yes, it’s an impossible task. For who can actually know everything about God except God Himself? However, doing so will leave you in awe of who He is.

Let’s unpack our verse today to discover some clues as to who God is. (BTW, you can do this with many verses throughout the Bible, not just Amos).

“The Lord is the one who shaped the mountains.” God created the entirety of the earth. He didn’t just hang a rock in space. He spent time sculpting it, as only a master sculptor can do! He formed the plains, the valleys, and the mountains so that the earth would appear beautifully, yet also function in particular ways. Great thought and care was done in creating this place that we call home.

God “stirs up the winds.” In other words, God didn’t just create the earth and then leave it alone. He is still active in the day-to-day operation. He causes the winds to blow, the tides to rise. He causes the rain to fall, and the sun to shine. He gives us air to breathe, and water to drink. He provides the ingredients we need to sustain life.

“He turns the light of dawn into darkness and treads on the heights of the earth.” He gives us day, and He gives us night. He gives us time to work, and also gives us time to rest. He gives the plants, and people, sunshine to make them healthy, yet gives us darkness so that we may sleep. He causes the earth to rotate around the sun, so that we have seasons.

My favorite, of course is that He “reveals his thoughts to mankind.” Even though we have a great BIG God who creates planets and sustains life, He is also a small God who is interested in each one of His children – us. He created the earth and universe for our benefit, after all! In other words, you and I are His most precious creation. He is not just interested in each of us. He is madly in love with us.