In the opening chapter of  the New Testament book of Romans, the Apostle Paul writes these words:  What may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.  (Romans 1:19-10)  Look around Paul says, for the created world will point you to the Creator, to the God of this universe.  In fact Paul would say you have to supress / deny the truth to come to any other conclusion than the truth that there is a Creator, there is a God. 

While driving to Grande Prairie with Lisa last week I had time to slow down and take in the beauty of God's creation all around me.  As we headed north toward Valemount, the sun broke through and it wasn't long before we could gaze upon snow-capped mountains.  We had a clear view of the peak of Mt. Robson and marvelled again at just how spectacular the drive along highway 16 is.  No wonder the hymn-writer would declare:  I sing the might pow'r of God that made the mountains rise. 

On the flight back home the plane rose above the clouds and for several minutes I starred out the window at the mountain peaks as they broke through the layer of clouds, dotting the sky with the majesty of these mountain tops.  The heaven's really do declare the glory of God!  (Psalm 19:1)

As we drove through Jasper Park a recent snowfall had left a heavy layer of snow on the ground and trees; the scene was like a Christmas card, absolutely breath-taking.  Further north, coming into Grande Prairie, milder temperatures followed by a light snow and then quick drop in the temperature had turned the entire area into a picturesque winter scene; every tree and bush declared the splendor of the Creator.  I even saw a spider-web, still very much intact, covered in a layer of white that made the ordinary extraordinary in beauty.

One of the great hymns of our faith calls us to join in the chorus of praise as we gaze upon the beauty of the earth and worship the One who created such beauty.  The world around us invites us to enter into this chorus of praise and adoration.  Every day we have those moments when we ought to pause in amazement to realize we have been given eyes to see and ears to ear the beauty all around us.  

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For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies
Lord of all, to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise

For the wonder of each hour, of the day and of the night
Hill and vale and tree and flower
Sun and moon and stars and light
Lord of all, to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise.

O, the pure delight of a single hour, that before Thy throne I spend (Fanny Crosby – I Am Thine, O Lord)…Really!  An hour!  I have a hard time keeping my mind focused for a few minutes!

My desire to honor the principle of the Sabbath in my weekly routine (a ‘take away’ from my summer Sabbatical) got off to great start the first 2-3 weeks; this week is proving to more challenging to carve out that one day in seven…but there’s still time to redeem this week!  I’m learning just how much of challenge this is! It sounds simple, one in seven but it is so very hard to put into practice.

Last week as I sat outside listening to worship music and seeking to be still in the presence of the Lord, I found it incredibility difficult to do just that – to be still.  My body wanted to go to some yard work that needed to be done and my mind was all over the place.  I began to think about the message for Sunday and had to resist the temptation to go to the computer to make some notes.  And then one of the songs I was listening to turned my mind to our worship and I wanted to go and make a note of an idea!  All the while the words of Psalm 46:10 were being pushed to the back of my mind:  Be still and know that I am God.

At one point, I looked over at Chara, who was lying in her usual spot on our deck box, soaking up the sunshine.  She was just quietly taking in all the things around her and didn’t seem to have a care in the world.  A grasshopper caught her attention for the moment and then a blowing leaf—she was totally focused on what was happening in the present.  I don’t think her mind was racing ahead, wondering about what’s for dinner or if a walk was in the afternoon plans.  As I watched her she seemed to be ‘in the moment’, just happy to sitting outside with her master. She was content to come and sit by my feet and so very happy to have me recognize her presence with a gentle scratch behind her ears.

As I thought about that experience, I realized how God longs for us to simply be in His presence; to present with Him in those moments and to allow Him to build up and encourage and comfort and strengthen us as we learn to abide with Him. 

The Bible says:  The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.  (Zephaniah 3:17). 

What would it be like to enter the presence of our Father; to bask in the truth that he delights in me; to let Him affirm his love for me and to hear my God rejoicing over me with singing?

Lord, take me to that place.  I still have so much to learn; teach me what it is to be present with You in the moments of my day.  Let me hear your voice and know the joy of You rejoicing over me in song. 

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

The story begins matter-of-factly, declaring the God of the Bible to be the Creator of all that there is. 

Our Statement of Faith at Valley affirms our belief in God as Creator:  We believe that God is the creator, upholder and governor of all things; that He is above all His works and in them all. 

We often worship God as Creator: 'This Is My Father's World', 'For the Beauty of the Earth', 'Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation' or 'O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands have made...  We look around and something within us affirms the words of the Psalmist:  The heavens declare the glory of God. (Psalm 19:1)

Recently I had an experience that made this truth come alive for me.  I was flying from Penticton to Vancouver, enjoying the view after take-off.  As the plane ascended we passed through the clouds, (a very cool experience in itself), breaking free to the open skies.  The clouds were like a sea of white beneath and with the mountain tops breaking through, like little islands in that sea of clouds.  I could almost see the hand of God tracing the rugged shapes of mountain tops; our divine Artist adding a touch of snow to create majestic snow-capped peaks and adding a countless evergreens, climbing the sides of mountains and reaching toward the heavens.

As we descended, the coastal waters come into view.  With a bird's-eye perspective, I could see a winding river and waters gently breaking onto the shoreline.  I thought about God's words to Job:  Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'?  (Job 38:8-10)

For four chapters(  Job 38-4), God paints a beautiful picture of the wonder of His creation and reveals Himself not only as Creator, but as One who absolutely delights in His creation.  A God who finds joy in seeing a wild donkey run free, the beauty of an ostrich at full speed, the strength of an ox, a horse, a  hippopotamus or crocodile or the majesty of a hawk or eagle in flight.

All around us we see the Father's handiwork and when we stop to notice, it invokes in us the same sense of wonder and joy that our God experiences as He looks on His creation. 

On the return flight as the plane passed over the mountains the lake opened up before me, the sun glistening of it's waters.  On the side of mountain a herd of long-horned sheep grazed;  revealing the splendor of their Creator.  I thought to myself, only God could create something some beautiful.  To hold to the idea that such a scene just 'evolved' is absolutely absurd!  This is my Father's world and all of creation declares the Maker's praise.

The earth is the Lord's and everything in it.  (Psalm 24:1)

Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise.  (Psalm 48:1)

I still look at her picture every day.  There is still an empty place in my heart.  At times I am still ‘haunted’ by the decision to let her go; even though I know it was an act of kindness, so that she did not have to suffer in the end. 

Six months later I am still amazed at how my heart is entangled with a beautiful Black Lab that was such a wonderful part of our lives for nearly 11 years.  And I’m okay with this!  One of my fears in letting her go was that I might forget the joy she has brought to our lives; and I don’t want to forget!

I could not imagine last summer, the sense of ‘emptiness’ we would experience in not having a dog in our home.  I have often said since then, as has Janice, ‘I don’t think I can go through the experience of having to let go again’.  But letting go is very much a part of life and the only way to avoid such pain is to close off one’s heart. 

So, recently we opened our hearts and lives to a puppy; another Black Lab, we have named Chara.  The Greek word ‘chara’ means joy, happiness, a source of joy.  If you have ever had a puppy in your home, you know they are indeed a source of great joy!  This new found source of happiness, reminds me that we were created to experience joy.  I am reminded too of the ultimate source of joy, God Himself.  The Psalmist says of God:  You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.  (Psalm 16:11)

We are created in the image of God and our God is a God of great joy!  He delights in His creation; He delights in these funny creatures called human beings!  And, He delights over you and me!

David would write, The Lord be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant. (Psalm 35:27). 

The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.  (Psalm 147:11)

My heart is encouraged to think that my God finds great joy is seeing one of His children find happiness in a puppy!  But that’s the kind of God He is!  When I think on this, something within me wants to proclaim with the Psalmist:   The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.  My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.  (Psalm 28:7)

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (Psalm 19:1)

I had the opportunity earlier this week to drive from Beaverlodge, Alberta back home to Oliver via Jasper National Park.  Early in the morning I headed south on highway 40, the sun was brilliant, the blue sky was clear expect for the occasional fluffy, white cloud.  It was quiet on the road, a perfect setting to reflect on the beauty of creation; the majesty of our Creator.

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!  (Psalm 8:1)

Surrounded by towering pine trees, and rolling hills, the horizon soon opened up to reveal the snow-capped Rockies; God's creation was indeed proclaiming the praise of the Creator.  A moose, tall and majestic cautiously crossed in front me; later two bears scurried along the edge of the forest.  The words
to the song This Is My Father's World came to mind.

This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres
This is my Father's world:  I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas--His hands the wonders wrought

This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker's praise
This is my Father's world:  He shines in all that's fair
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere

The drive through Jasper National Park was breath-taking! I was surrounded by mountain peaks and beautiful lakes, rushing mountains streams and God's creatures enjoying the morning sun!  An eagle soared above, bighorn sheep were grazing on the a the moutainside and young male moose captured the attention of many who passed along the road.

Rarely do I get long hours of solitude as I had that day.  Worship songs were playing and I had time alone with our God; time to pray and listen and reflect.  I found myself dwelling agian on the words of David is Psalm 8:  When I consider you heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?  You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.  (Psalm 8:3-5)

Somehow I sensed the smile of God; one of His children was enjoying the beauty of the world, just as He intended.  To think that the Creator of this world would take notice, would care of me...like David I was lost in the wonder and awe of such a thought.

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy pow'r thro'out the universe displayed

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; how great Thou art, how great Thou art!

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!  (Psalm 8:1)

The tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut this past Friday have left a nation reeling in the aftermath of the senseless massacre that has claimed the lives of 20 school children and six adult staff members, and left many asking, ‘why’?  In the midst of overwhelming pain and sadness many quietly wonder and some openly question, ‘where is God’?  ‘How could He allow such a horrific tragedy to occur’? 

When asked about my thoughts on these questions my first response was: I think all of heaven wept on Friday morning—this is not the way God intends for us to live.  The Bible says our God is One who sees and feels the agony of His people--I think God wept alongside grieving families; His heart was broken.

'Where is God'?  The Bible, the pages of history and the pages of my own story reveal to me a God who stands with us in the chaos; who walks with us through darkness and sorrow; a God who promises, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  (Hebrews 13:5)  When all is dark, God is still at work.

A grief-stricken father and his little girl stood at the grave side of the wife and mother.  A kind friend said to the sorrowing husband, you and your daughter come home with us for a few nights.  No he said, we will go home and trust God's grace to sustain us. 

That night the little girl found it hard to sleep, so her bed was moved alongside her father's bed.  In the darkness she would say, daddy, it's so dark, but you are there, aren't you, daddy?  

The father placed his hand on her head and said, yes, daddy is right here.  Now go to sleep.  Before long the little girl fell soundly asleep. Then, in the darkness and sorrow of his heart the father weeping said,  Heavenly Father, it is so dark, and my heart is overwhelmed with sorrow, but you are there, aren't you, Father?

The sure promise came instantly to his mind...do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

Even when we can't see, even when we can't make sense out of it, God in His infinite wisdom and His outrageous compassion is at work in the dark.

Christian Reger spent four years in the infamous concentration camp at Dachau, where he was imprisoned by the Nazis wrote these words…"Nietzche said that a man can undergo torture if he knows the why of his life. But here at Dachau, I've learned something far greater.  I've learned to know the who of my life.  He was enough to sustain me then and He is enough to sustain me still."

In the midst of such an unthinkable tragedy, we need to remind ourselves, God has not abandoned those who are so deeply wounded. He has not and will not forget. He is the One who walks with us – even when the path is dark.  And we need to remind ourselves the devastation and loss experienced last Friday morning does not get the last word; death and the grave does not get the last word; God has the last word!  The last word is always one of hope!

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.  (Hebrews 6:19)

To the moms and dads and brothers and sisters and family and friends who are struggling to make sense of that which is senseless; who are clinging to whatever faith they have left, may our God, help them to see beyond the darkness, may they see His hand of mercy and grace and healing. 

Father, renew their strength and whisper words of life and hope to the broken-hearted.