Six Things I Am Thankful For - Day 4

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. (Psalm 95:1-5 ESV).

Day 4: I am thankful for the creation. Our reading today is just one of many in the Scripture that extols the majesty of God’s work in creation. Some would approach this time of year, especially in places like Texas with the absence of color in the fall foliage, differently than I do. It is rather drab in various shades of brown in this part of the world, but, this is really my time of the year. So many memories of friends are tied to the sights, sounds, and smells of this time of the year for me. Recently one of my dear friends, Jamie McClain, contacted me and wondered when I was going to go to the deer lease with him. My hearty answer was, “Pick a day!” He still hunts at what we called “Windham State Park” near Abilene, Texas. You can see from the picture taken when I was on the same lease that it was not a “park.” It was our little bit of heaven though. Our campsite, while not surrounded by mountains or grand vistas, as full of life and fellowship as we gathered around our campfire and told our tall tales. I am thankful that God has created this kind of world and placed me in it. Of course, this place is not everyone’s place. However, God does have that place for you too. Perhaps it is the mountains that draw you to sit a bit by a quiet stream, gurgling its way down the mountain with cold, clear water. It could be that you love to sit a while in the warm sandy beaches of an ocean with the sounds of the cadence of the waves rolling in and the smell of salt water strong in the air. Maybe you merely enjoy sitting outdoors on a clear night and gazing to the innumerable stars that are hung in the night sky with quiet and solitude wrapping you like a favorite blanket. Whatever your place looks like, be sure that it is God who has created it. And, he created it all with us in mind. Yes, indeed, I am thankful for that forethought. It also prompts me to remember that, as wonderful as this world may be, it is nothing compared to what it will be when the final redemption of creation itself takes place. The make me think of how much I have yet to see. Our God is so vast and wonderful we cannot ever plumb the depths of that glory. Creation reminds me of that too. Our God is a great God! Celebrate that with me today!