On August 21, the eyes of the world were on the skies, hoping to catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse. Thousands gathered to witness the stunning event and celebrate. Lucky were those whose view was not blocked by clouds! The sun’s corona, the diamonds, the ring were awesome. The phenomenon made me think of the astronomer’s psalm: “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” (Psalm 8:3–4) The beauty of the eclipse and of the universe captured in photos makes the heart swell and lifts our minds to the mighty God whose wisdom created all this wonder. We’ve seen our planet like a white and blue jewel in pictures shot by astronauts. We’ve seen other planets invisible to the naked eye spinning in all their glory. We’ve even seen galaxies, one looking mysteriously like the eye of God. No wonder the psalmist concludes his psalm by exclaiming, “O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:9)
Sometimes we are immune to the fantastic creation that surrounds us. We take it for granted. Lifting our head up from our pile of work, escaping from the busy-ness of our lives, and venturing outside occasionally renews our awe of nature and of the God who made it. Maybe you’ve been to the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, witnessed the Aurora Borealis in Alaska, walked the redwood forests in California, or swum in the Blue Hole in Capri. If so, you know what it means to be overwhelmed by the magnificence of our world. You needn’t travel far, though, to come face to face with the marvels of nature. There’s the deep red rose in your backyard, the white-tailed bunny that munches on the grass in your front yard, and the web sparkling with dewdrops gracing your mailbox. Just as the whole world seemed to come to halt on August 21, how good if we all paused to breathe deeply, behold a certain natural miracle, and meditate on it. Imagine if Moses had ignored the burning bush, or if the Magi hadn’t noticed the moving star. God sends us loving messages through what he makes. Remember that Jesus called attention to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field to teach us the lesson of our heavenly Father’s providence and care. Yes, the Lord is mindful of us.
Don’t wait for the next eclipse. Gaze at the heavens tonight. Sit by a lake or ocean. Watch the squirrels playing on your lawn. Listen to what God is saying to you.
What in creation most touches your heart?
