Daily Devotional

When we moved to California five years ago we were so thankful to be this close to so much of the world’s beauty; Yosemite, Tahoe, the ocean, streams, waterfalls, The Grand Canyon, and so much more. But when we went to Chicago this summer to visit family, we took a trip to Wisconsin to spend time on a well-known lake. We waterskied, hiked, and went on boat rides. And during this time I was reminded of the beauty of Wisconsin. I had vacationed in Wisconsin my whole life, so over the years I started to take it for granted. After almost five years in California, I remembered just how beautiful the Midwest is. I mean there is so much beauty in the world around us; so many scenes that cause us to simply say, “Awesome.”

Did you know that all creation points to the Creator?

Psalm 19:1-2 "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. 2 Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge."

There’s something about boating on a Wisconsin lake, or sitting next to the oceans as the waves crash down. As we admire the beauty of creation, we are reminded that we are not accidents, and that our God is truly an awesome God.

Creation is not the only thing God uses to show us His power, His grace, and His love. He gave us His Word. In it He tells us who He is. He explains who we are. And He makes it clear that He loves us. And whether you’ve been a Christian most of your life, and studied the Bible your whole life, or you just became a Christian and are just starting to read it, there is always something valuable for you. God’s Word is perfect and refreshing. It actually gives us wisdom and joy.

Psalm 19:7-9 "The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clear, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether."

When we read the Bible, we get a picture of who God is. And the same thing happens when we admire His creation. These two things work together to give us a bigger picture of who God is.

God loves us so much that He gave us both creation and His Word. It’s almost like two different lenses to see the same truths about Him.

Romans 1:20 "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse."

Has God ever given you a beautiful sunset, or a brilliant rainbow at just the right time? I know He’s done that for me many times. I’m struggling with something in life and I’m relying on myself rather than God to solve the problem. And there’s the sunset. There’s the rainbow. There’s the cloud formation. There’s the mountain range. There’s the ocean. And I am reminded of God’s power, love, and promises. Then out of that, I turn to Him in prayer, and I open my Bible, and God leads me to just the right verse. And in that moment I am reminded I don’t have to live my life on my own. I have a God who created me, loves me, and cares about the things that concern me. And He is strong enough to handle anything.

God uses the beauty of His creation to point us to Him. The next time you admire His  handiwork, praise Him. Worship Him for His creation, for His love, mercy, and grace. God is good, all the time.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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