The Upper Room devotional reflection for Monday, November 21, 2022, comes to us from Timothy Hale of Virginia.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. 3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. 4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. 5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous.
Psalm 19:1-9NIV
GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
There’s nothing quite like a sunrise. The beautiful rays of light bursting over the trees seem to call out, “Wake up! It’s time to start the day!” Recently, beautiful snow blanketed the ground. It was amazing how quickly the sun melted it away, revealing the earth underneath and inviting deer to graze in my yard once again. Those warm rays of sunlight reminded me of God’s faithfulness. Just as we know the sun will rise each day, we also know that God’s grace will meet us wherever we are to melt away our despair and give us hope.
In the hurriedness of life, we can sometimes forget to stop and enjoy the majesty of creation. The way the world works is amazing! The words of the psalmist remind us that the purpose of creation is to give praise to the Creator. When we take a few moments to slow down and notice the beauty of creation around us, we can remember that God is always with us. And most of all, let’s join with creation in praising God for the mercies that are new each day and for God’s faithful love.
Friends,
Each day we open our eyes is an opportunity to give God praise. Every day provides us moments to experience more of the beauty of creation, from the changing colors to snow covered lawns. Timothy’s reflection calls us to, in the words of songwriter Thomas O. Chisholm, “join with all nature in manifold witness.” As we draw closer to Thanksgiving, I encourage you to take time to pause and “enjoy the majesty of creation.”
--Pastor Anthony
Prayer:
O God, creation sings praises to you. May we live in your eternal light and bring glory to your name. Amen
-- Timothy Hale
Prayer Focus:
Gratitude for each new day.
Thought for the day:
Creation sings praises to God. How will I sing along?