I have seen many sunrises over the Atlantic Ocean in Florida, but I recently saw my first sunset over the ocean. My son, daughter-in-law and I took a quick trip to Siesta Key on the gulf side of Florida one December afternoon. The white sand on this beach stays cool unlike the sand on the east coast that sometimes burns our feet. Shortly before sunset, we traveled a short distance down the coast to Venice Beach so that I could stick my toes into black sand for the first time. That is also where I saw my first sunset over the ocean. What a wonderful afternoon with so many beautiful sights to see from the sand and shells below my feet to the ocean waves, water creatures, plants, birds and ever-changing sky!
When was the last time you really stopped and marveled at all the extraordinary detail in the world around us? The sky may appear bright blue and sunny with fluffy white clouds or be dark and with gray clouds and bolts of lightning. The gorgeous sunsets painted with yellow, orange, pink and purple fade into darkness illuminated by the soft glow of the moon and too many stars to count.
Have you noticed the wide variety of plants scattered across the earth? There are trees that flower, trees that produce fruit and trees that provide nuts. There are trees with needles or leaves that remain green year-round and trees with green leaves that change to vibrant hues of yellow, orange, red and purple before falling to the ground as the weather turns cold. If we further explore the terrain, we find several types of grasses, vines, cacti, succulents, garden plants and weeds. There are flowers with different shapes, colors and scents including tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, roses, daisies, poppies, sunflowers, mums….
Have you given much thought to how many different animals exist? Our rivers and lakes contain freshwater fish such as bass, bluegill, catfish and trout, while jellyfish, stingrays, sharks, and whales must live in saltwater. Lift your eyes to see owls, cardinals, geese, eagles and a wide variety of feathered birds which can fly. Look hard and you will find the tiny insects including ants, lightening bugs, dragonflies, bumblebees and grasshoppers. Watch the ground for snakes, lizards and turtles covered with dry scaly skin or for furry animals like mice, cats, dogs, horses and deer. Admire the exotic peacocks, majestic lions, giant giraffes and enormous elephants. The list goes on and on.
Every human is a unique creation as well. Our eyes can be different shapes and colors. Our hair may be straight, wavy or curly, course or fine and a wide range of colors. We can have various skin colors, different characteristics and diverse personalities. We may not look the same, yet all of us are fearfully and wonderfully made.
We have a complex body made up of trillions of cells. Our hearts pump blood which carries oxygen to every cell of our bodies, our stomachs digest food for nutrients and energy and our brains help us speak, move, process thoughts, solve problems and remember important details. We have ears that can hear, eyes that can see, noses that can smell, mouths that can taste, and skin that can feel. Muscles, bones, organs and other systems of the body all work together.
All of creation works together as well. We need plants and animals for food, water to drink, sunlight to help plants grow and clean air to breathe. Of all the planets in our solar system, the earth is created absolutely perfect to sustain life.
The colors, the smells, the tastes, the sounds, the textures and complexities of all creation are too numerous to count. When I think of all of the intricate details, I am in awe of the God who created it. How can one examine all of the beauty and wonder around them and not know there is a God?
Romans 1:20 in the NLT says,
For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
As I reflect on God and all that he is, I find it important to realize that he is the creator of everything. He created us in his very image. Praise God for such a beautiful and fascinating creation. Praise him for the miracle of life and for souls that live on even after our bodies wear out. May our hearts be full of wonder and awe and be drawn to our awesome and holy Creator. As we behold the magnificent creation around us, may we worship the Creator who spoke it all into existence and who holds it all together.
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. ~Colossians 1:15-17 NLT