sunday
AUGUST 7
“All Nature Sings” (Pss. 90:1, 2; 100:1–5)
Two activities that quickly turn my thoughts toward God are listening to sacred music and experiencing nature. When I slow down enough to listen to the music in nature, I feel a great sense of reverence toward my Creator. While living in Louisiana, I was often amazed at the rich, varied sounds of nature on a hot summer evening. Within a few minutes of closing my eyes, what had previously sounded like a gentle, background hum became a loud chorus. A late evening thunderstorm would often cue a cacophony of frogs, providing a crescendo that would last well after much of the other music had faded away.
Snowshoeing above the tree line in the mountains of Colorado now provides me with a contrasting musical experience. As the sound of my labored breathing and thumping heartbeat gradually subsides, I am amazed at the ever-changing sounds of the wind, the distant cry of a bird, and from somewhere, the sound of flowing water in what appears to be a frozen world.
Each beautiful “note” of nature’s never-ending song is sounded in praise of the Creator. As the crowning act of His creation and the blessed benefactors of His redemption and love, God longs to hear our “notes” of praise above those of nature. “The Lord desires us to make mention of His goodness and tell of His power. He is honored by the expression of praise and thanksgiving. He says, ‘Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me.’ Ps. 50:23.”1
Wealth Without Riches (Psalm 49)
Financial reality for most of us will be somewhat below the bottom spot on the annual Forbes’ list. Yet we convince ourselves that just a little more money will make life much better. So we pursue ever larger salaries and the corner office; and we forget that worldly wealth can be used only in exchange for worldly goods. Garth Brooks reminded us that “you aren’t wealthy until you have something money can’t buy.”2 No amount of money can buy any of God’s great blessings. Most important, we’ll never be able to afford the price of our salvation. Praise God our financial status on earth is meaningless to Him! When it comes to salvation, all that matters is where our hearts are (Matt. 6:21).
“Heaven, We Have a Problem” (Psalm 73)
When the doctors told us that our daughter was born with a heart defect that required surgery, we believed the Lord could heal her. But following anointing and prayer, her condition remained unchanged. As we waited for the doctors to complete their preoperative assessment, discouragement overwhelmed me. I couldn’t understand why God had not healed her. I had hoped He would. I knew He could. I felt He should. I was doing everything I knew to be faithful to Him. I trusted His promises. But waiting to hear from the doctors, it seemed like wasted effort. Trying to live right hadn’t kept trouble away.
I was bewildered as much as I was relieved when the doctors told us she seemed to be doing well and any further intervention could wait—we could safely take her home! Had she been healed or not? If her heart was still abnormal, why was she doing so well? The questions and doubts plagued me for weeks.
After a late-night feeding, I lay in my recliner holding my four-month-old daughter, softly humming “God Will Take Care of You.” The song had been a comfort to me many times since childhood, but never had the words touched me as deeply as they did that night. As tears ran down my face, I was ashamed of how little faith I had shown, and I finally believed that God really would take care of her, no matter what.
My daughter still looks perfectly healthy. God continues to shield her from any serious consequences related to her heart defect, but He has not corrected the anatomy. What a wonderful testimony to the love of God that He can sustain us even when our hearts aren’t right!
Pass It On (Ps. 78:1–8)
We need to present to people the way in which God has led us in the past and to recount His wondrous works in behalf of His people. “We need to ‘call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions.’ ‘For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God; the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people; but because the Lord loved you. . . . Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.’ ”3
REACT
1. How can you modify the pace of your life so you don’t miss opportunities to worship your Creator?
2. What can you do when life seems too dark to sing praises to God?
3. What impact, if any, can our worship have on those around us?
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1. Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 298.
2. Garth Brooks, “Quotes,” Thinkexist.com, http://thinkexist.com/quotation/you_arent_wealthy_until_you_have_something_money/250476.html (accessed June 7, 2010).
3. The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, March 19, 1895.
Written by Dallas Estey, Firestone, Colorado, U.S.A.
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