The Wonder of God's Creation

             Last week, while on vacation with friends, I had the opportunity to see Lake Michigan for the first time.  Being from Kentucky and having grown up camping, I am very familiar with lakes, but nothing I had ever seen before could have prepared me for the vastness of Lake Michigan.  For four days, we managed to view it from 4 states.  First, we drove along the coastline through Indiana Dunes National Park.  The next day, we saw the southernmost tip as we drove through Chicago, next to the River Walk.  Later that same day, we viewed lighthouses on the lake near Kenosha, Wisconsin.  The next day, we drove to Holland, Michigan, and once more caught glimpses of the lake as we drove near the coastline.

            Finally, on the fourth day, we went to the beach.  The sand wasn’t as white as what you typically find at an ocean beach, and instead of shells, there were lots of rocks, but the water gently lapped against the shore.  Birds flew around.  Children laughed and played.  People walked their dogs along the water’s edge.  Some of the dogs enjoyed the cool water, but at least one was not excited about his first trip to the beach.  Occasionally, you could see a boat out on the water.

            As I sat there quietly, gazing out at the biggest lake I had ever seen, I couldn’t help but think how much like the ocean it was.  If someone had brought me there blindfolded, with no idea where I was, I would have thought that I was somewhere at the ocean at low tide.  Like the ocean, for me, it was a place of peace and relaxation. 

            I had never had a desire to see Lake Michigan.  Going north on vacation is just not in my nature.  Now that I have seen it, I’m so glad we went North this time (not that I want to make a habit of it).  That lake is one more testimony of the graciousness of God.  He has built magnificent beauty into His creation in so many ways.  The massive Great Lakes are just one more example of His power, but it is also a reminder of how He delights in surprising us.  Every time we encounter a new and different part of His creation, I think it brings a smile to His face.  Our joy makes Him happy.  His creation reminds us that our Father has created magnificent workmanship, but it also reminds us that we are His children, and He takes pleasure in pleasing us. 

            If you haven’t seen the Great Lakes, make time to go and see.  God’s handiwork won’t disappoint you!

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1 NIV84).

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1 NIV84).

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hi, I'm the Sun Porch Lady

  Hi, I’m the Sun Porch Lady. I recently retired and while most of the world thinks that is a wonderful thing, I've found it to be anything but wonderful. I've been going to school and/or working since I was six years old so finding myself with nothing, but free time is a whole new experience.   I have no structure, no daily schedule, and seemingly no purpose in my life.   While that may sound like heaven, I believe that Christians never retire.   God just repurposes them. As I struggled to find new purpose and bring some structure back to my life, I turned to writing.   Over the years, I have often written devotional thoughts or put various ideas to paper.   I can’t say that I’ve ever been very good at journaling but from time to time, I have written about events in my life that taught me values or made me more aware of God working in my life.   So, to keep busy and hopefully spark an interest in others I've decided to create this blog. I’m callin...
Read more

My Dad

                 Yesterday would have been my father’s 98 th birthday.   He’s been gone for 13 years, and I still miss him.   He wasn’t perfect, but he loved his family.   His letters home while he was in the service reflect his love for my Mom—Mandy, as he called her.   They were married for almost 65 years, and his love for her was never more evident than when she became sick in 2007.               As Mom underwent several surgeries due to an infection that ravaged her body, he was always by her side.   He became her primary caregiver as well as the cook, house cleaner, and laundry person, but you never heard him complain.   When she went to the hospital with another round of pneumonia, he was right there, remaining by her bedside until just a few hours before he died.             His lov...
Read more

Jesus Prays to His Father

                 A few weeks ago, I wrote about the need to “abide” in Christ.   I think every Christian desires to develop that deep, intimate relationship with our Savior.   That is the definition of “abide.”   The question is always, “How do we do that?”             This week my Bible study group looked closely at John 17, which I believe allows us to examine the deep, intimate relationship between the Father and the Son.   As Jesus prays, not a prayer of teaching as is found in Matthew 6, but a prayer of love and devotion to His Father and the “Mission”, we get a glimpse of what it means to “abide” in God or Christ.             He begins the prayer with humility, seeking glory for Himself only so that the Father might be glorified.   His mission of bringing salvation to the world was done.   ...
Read more