Look Up

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.

Psalm 19:1 (NLT)

Maybe when you were younger you used to do something that many of us did. I remember so many times laying on my back, out on a grassy field, looking up at the clouds and trying to decide what person, animal, landscape, or some other object, the clouds looked like. My friends would often join in, which made it even more fun since we would all see different, and usually crazy, things. Of course, there were the usual unicorns, bunnies, turtles, and horses that we saw. Then there were the castles, race cars, and fierce-looking knights riding on their noble steeds. We basically let our imaginations run wild. It was pretty fascinating what we came up with each time.

Of course, as we grow up, there doesn’t seem to be much time left in the day any more. Between classes, or work, families, and hobbies, our time each day seems to vanish. Finding time to actually just lay back and take in the skies becomes harder and harder to find. (Of course, in Oregon, some days trying to lay back and look at the clouds will result in you drowning!) It seems that other things in life crowd out stuff that we begin to deem as not necessary. I believe this is a huge problem.

Because God created the universe, His magnificent beauty is on full display for all to see. Whether it is up in the cosmos or in white fluffy clouds floating overhead, God built them not only to sustain our lives, but to bring awe to them.

In our faith, we need to recapture that awe. Sure, Bible study, church programs, Sabbath School, prayer time, outreach, are all very important to building and sustaining a faith. But, so is spending quiet time just soaking in what God has made. As King David put it in our verse today, “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.”

So, here’s my challenge to you. On a partly cloudy day, with no rain, find some quiet time, go layout, and look up. Whether it is at night to see the heavens, or during the day to marvel at the skies, let God recapture your imagination. What do you see? What do these things reveal about God? He gave you an imagination. Use it. Have fun. And, while doing so, give thanks to God for creating such marvelous things for us to see.