God Speaking

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth”

(Psalm 8:1)

Spring has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere and after a cold, grey winter the sun has begun to shine, bringing warmth and new life to everything it touches. It also stirs in us humans, a desire to leave the confines of our houses and feel the sun ourselves, to breathe the fresh air, to just revel in the outdoors. My husband was suddenly struck by this urge this week and it didn’t take much persuasion for me to readily agree to pack our lunch and to head out to one of our favourite spots.

This particular spot, a little cove with a rocky beach, is set in one of the most beautiful parts of British Columbia and to reach it one must take a dramatic scenic highway named fittingly, “The Sea To Sky.” The highway winds along the water against rugged cliffs and on a clear day every bend in the road reveals yet more and more awe inspiring mountains and at this time of the year, still wearing snow on their summits. One of the bends reveals a glacier far in the distance, nestled between two massive peaks and when I see this one I am forced to cry out;

O Lord, our Lord how majestic is your name in all the earth.

I think sometimes we tend to forget the beautiful creator side of our Heavenly Father. We forget to recognise his majesty in nature. We forget that he created the beauty of this earth for us his children to yes, enjoy, but also to be reminded of his mighty power and to never lose the sense of awe that we too are the work of his hands. The psalmists believed that nature itself cries out, glorifying our God;

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.” (Psalm 19:1 – 2)

We certainly don’t all live near mighty mountains, but all of us can witness the beauty of the sky and I love this passage in Isaiah that reminds us that all we have to do is to look up to be filled with awe;

“Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” (Isaiah 40:26)

The other great reminder I had about God’s majesty was when we witnessed the water slowly covering the rocky beach that had been dry when we arrived. No man can control that mighty tide, the sea belongs to the Creator.

“In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.” (Psalm 95:4 – 5)

Our little escape into the great outdoors became a new awakening, a new realisation of the awesome majesty of our God.

When we recognise God’s majesty, it humbles us and makes us aware of his grace in allowing his son to die for us. The beautiful hymn, Majesty, says this

Here I am humbled by your majesty

Covered by your grace so free

Here I am knowing I’m a sinful man

Covered by the blood of the lamb