November 15
“Praise the Lord.” Praise God in his sanctuary; . . . . Let
everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
Psalm 150
Sometimes when I am outside, I stop and listen to the sounds around me and imagine them all to be praising God in their own way; sounds of thanksgiving from each for their being, for their presence in this moment in time, on His earth.
Birds song echoing as they flit about here and there in their search for food; the sharp, harmonic stridulating crickets and grasshoppers and the subtle rustle of other insects scurrying through the grass - each species with its own job to do to balance God’s earth; the buzz of bees focused on brightly colored blossoms’ pollen essential to the growth of fruit and vegetables and in creating the bees pure golden honey; the fluttering wings of the brilliantly colored butterflies, looking like mini-stained glass windows as they dance on the perfumed flower heads and load up on the energy source necessary for their continued journey home; the chatter of the fat grey squirrels bustling about gathering seeds and early brown-green acorns in preparation for the winter days ahead; melodic swishing water as it cascades over the rocks of the brook close by.
Then there are peals of laughter and calling voices coming from neighborhood children reveling in the piles of multi-colored leaves during these last few days of autumn; a nearby baby crying as he awakens from naptime; friends’ dogs barking their animated greetings to one another; sounds of a trumpet coming from a student’s practice session; passersby conversing with one another in a sing-song rhythm as they stop on their way to their respective destinations; church bells ringing in the current hour; even a car horn in the distance, a fading train whistle, as well as the roar of the airplane overhead, all that involves people who live and breathe; each one with their own story to tell about the gift of life God has given them.
All of a sudden, in the midst of all God’s creation praising Him, I am conscious of my own heart beating, my breathing and the warm sensation of the sun on my face, and I deeply sense just how miraculous all this is, the sacredness of it. How awesome to think that this beautiful earth and everything in it, God has gifted us with! With this comes a deeper appreciation too of the miraculous bodies God has given us as a means to contribute to all of it! It is then, without even realizing it was happening, in the beauty of (t)His sanctuary, I become aware that along with all these symphonic sounds of worship, every cell within me is in the process of praising God!
God of all creation, with our hearts filled with praise, we honor you. May we appreciate as your sanctuary - your gift to us, wherever we are. Abba! Father! We are yours!
Copyright© 2013 Kathleen A. Matson
“Praise the Lord.” Praise God in his sanctuary; . . . . Let
everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
Psalm 150
Sometimes when I am outside, I stop and listen to the sounds around me and imagine them all to be praising God in their own way; sounds of thanksgiving from each for their being, for their presence in this moment in time, on His earth.
Birds song echoing as they flit about here and there in their search for food; the sharp, harmonic stridulating crickets and grasshoppers and the subtle rustle of other insects scurrying through the grass - each species with its own job to do to balance God’s earth; the buzz of bees focused on brightly colored blossoms’ pollen essential to the growth of fruit and vegetables and in creating the bees pure golden honey; the fluttering wings of the brilliantly colored butterflies, looking like mini-stained glass windows as they dance on the perfumed flower heads and load up on the energy source necessary for their continued journey home; the chatter of the fat grey squirrels bustling about gathering seeds and early brown-green acorns in preparation for the winter days ahead; melodic swishing water as it cascades over the rocks of the brook close by.
Then there are peals of laughter and calling voices coming from neighborhood children reveling in the piles of multi-colored leaves during these last few days of autumn; a nearby baby crying as he awakens from naptime; friends’ dogs barking their animated greetings to one another; sounds of a trumpet coming from a student’s practice session; passersby conversing with one another in a sing-song rhythm as they stop on their way to their respective destinations; church bells ringing in the current hour; even a car horn in the distance, a fading train whistle, as well as the roar of the airplane overhead, all that involves people who live and breathe; each one with their own story to tell about the gift of life God has given them.
All of a sudden, in the midst of all God’s creation praising Him, I am conscious of my own heart beating, my breathing and the warm sensation of the sun on my face, and I deeply sense just how miraculous all this is, the sacredness of it. How awesome to think that this beautiful earth and everything in it, God has gifted us with! With this comes a deeper appreciation too of the miraculous bodies God has given us as a means to contribute to all of it! It is then, without even realizing it was happening, in the beauty of (t)His sanctuary, I become aware that along with all these symphonic sounds of worship, every cell within me is in the process of praising God!
God of all creation, with our hearts filled with praise, we honor you. May we appreciate as your sanctuary - your gift to us, wherever we are. Abba! Father! We are yours!
Copyright© 2013 Kathleen A. Matson