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Praise

It says in Pslams, “O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.” (Psalms 104:24)

It seems to me that very few scriptural writers found more joy in the earth than did the psalmist David. From his writings all creation speaks the praise of the Lord, and reveals His wisdom. Now, like all scripture, the creation itself remains mostly hidden to those who won’t see. But the earth is His footstool; He is its king and creator. Therefore, we can find in the miracle of the creation, in its order, in its symmetry, and in its beauty, vital Gospel principles illustrated everywhere.

For example, this summer take some time to look up. The light of the sun is more abundant this time of year. It’s the light and the life of this planet; it warms us; it sustains us; we couldn’t live without it. And I’m sure you’ve figured this out: you can’t look directly at it; its glory is too much. And – and it is so far away, and yet it is so close! Thus you can see why Christ Himself is called the sun – s u n – the sun of righteousness. The sun is Christ.

In scripture did you know that our atmosphere is called ‘the heavens?’ Why would that be? – well because it’s above us, it’s all around us, indeed it is even within us. Its dynamic beauty is captivating. It maintains the balance on our planet. What man has not dreamed that he could soar into the heavens? To look up into the heavens is to imagine yourself being in heaven.

Flowers – I’m a nut about flowers. They’re beautiful this time of year, and abundant. I’ve noticed that they spring forth tender and new, and then suddenly they just bloom – in all of their infinite varieties. And then just as quickly, they wither, they fade, and they return to the dust – just like us. We are like flowers in the scriptures. We are born, and then in our youth we burst forth in beauty and vitality, and then – and for some of us, it’s coming closer – without fail we begin to wither and shrivel, and droop, until we too are returned to the dust.

Have you ever noticed this time of year the fields as the farmers are getting them ready? They’re like a patchwork quilt, neat, symmetrical, all laid-out, plowed and prepared for planting. The smell of rich freshly turned soil is one of the simple pleasures of life. That rich soil we see represents the heart of God’s faithful children, you – broken, turned-over, mellow, and ready for the seed of the Lord’s word.

Also summer is the time of longer sunnier days. I’ve noticed over the years that on cloudy dark days, I’m not as happy; I’m not as productive; life just isn’t as sweet. But [on] these perfect summer days with all that extra light and time, I can get so much done! Now perhaps that is why summer is illustrated in scripture as the season of our mortal probation. It’s the time that we are supposed to work righteousness and get prepared for the night of darkness, because if we don’t get prepared, then we will have little light and power to do anything when that time comes.

Rain – it falls from the heavens pure and truly refreshing! It literally is a gift from God, and brings life to our land. It is one of the simple joys of life for me to stand outside in a warm summer rain. And just as it is in these last days, there is no famine of rain, nor is there a famine of hearing the word of the Lord. We are virtually showered with the word of the Lord like rain, so precious, so rare, and – thank the Lord – so abundant in our time. Rain is like the word of the Lord.

And the corollary to rain: the rainbow – beautiful! I hope you see one this summer. After the violence of the storm, it is beauty against the blackness; it is the promise of better things to come, and truly that is exactly what a rainbow is. It’s the token of God’s promise that there are better times ahead, and ultimately the best of times. The rainbow is the promise of Enoch’s city Zion returning to the earth.

There’s a sermon everywhere you look, a lesson in everything of nature. So, what more can I say? Go outside; take a walk; learn something!