The Book of Psalms (30-Day Journey)Sample

Nature Evokes Praise

C.S. Lewis said these words about nature: “Nature never taught me that there exists a God of glory and of infinite majesty. I had to learn that in other ways. But nature gave the word glory a meaning for me. I still do not know where else I could have found one. I do not see how "fear" of God could have ever meant to me anything but the lowest prudential efforts to be safe, if I had never seen certain ominous ravines and unapproachable crags. And if nature had never awakened certain longings in me, huge areas of what I can now mean by "love" of God would never, so far as I can see, have existed.”

Nature has a way of evoking emotions in every human. It’s why we’ve been singing about the sun, moon and stars and painting sunsets since the beginning of time. In the Psalms, we find beautiful descriptions of nature: “He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight; they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them. You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth.” (Psalm 104:5-9 NIV)

Like C.S. Lewis stated, this description of water evokes both fear and love. Our God is powerful and beautiful. He controls the boundaries of the roaring ocean. He knows how to hold cliff sides and beaches in place. But God doesn’t just create practically, He creates beautifully. Could an apple still provide nutrients to the body and not be sweet? Or how about its color? Surely an apple could still function as an apple and not be red. God designs practically and beautifully. “He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.” (Psalm 104:14-15 NIV)

Thank goodness, the apple isn’t gray and sour. God has designed a perfect rhythm in nature for us to appreciate and learn from, and at the bare minimum for us to praise Him for. It's amazing that the nature of God is reflected in nature itself. Nature doesn’t equate to God's worth, but it demonstrates it. The next time you sit on the porch in a thunderstorm, may you feel the power of God. The next time you look up at a mountain, may you feel the majesty of God. The next time you see the expanse of the ocean, may you feel the mystery of God.

It’s not difficult to find reasons to praise God, especially when reflecting on nature, but of course, we grow familiar and distracted. We take God's creation for granted. These few psalms encourage us to refocus and consider the world around us. After we’ve reflected, the only natural and right response is praise. Praise God. Elevate Him. Acknowledge Him as the creator and sustainer. Thank Him for all He holds together and for all He’s given us to enjoy. Praise Him for both His function and His beauty.

Praise can look like hands lifted on Sunday morning, rejoicing and dancing with your brothers and sisters in corporate worship. Praise can be your private words to God in your car. Maybe you drive past a garden, and you tell God how much you like and appreciate the flowers He created. Praise can be like the Psalms written down. Maybe you can begin to write down all that you are thankful for. Praise can be a simple acknowledgement in your heart when you're out on a walk. Praise can be publicly giving God credit for what you’ve achieved. Today is a good day to begin to reflect on the nature you see, hear, or taste around you and, in whatever way you can, praise God for it.