Awe and Wonder

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars that you have established…”

–Psalm 8:3

Lori and I just returned from a trip through the national parks of Southern Utah. Known as The Mighty Five, they stretch across the Beehive State from Colorado to Nevada and include Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion.  We arrived on the first day of the government shut-down and wondered what impact the funding impasse would bring. At least for us, everything ran smoothly.

The week generated diverse memories. I was struck by the international appeal of the parks hearing accents and languages from at least ten countries and all regions of the U.S. I was inspired by the Park Service employees who continued to work, displaying their servant spirit even without pay. I was impressed with how the parks accommodated guests of all abilities, from the active outdoor enthusiast to individuals in a wheelchair. And I had tears in my eyes as a 6 year-old girl proudly raised her right hand and was “sworn in” as a Junior Ranger.  Yet what made the trip one of my all-time favorite vacations was the incredible natural beauty.

From the arches to the canyons, peaks to the hoodoos, every step on the trail or turn on the road brought another amazing view. We bundled up to witness sunrise over Bryce Canyon, hiked on trails that were created by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1940s and drove past aspen trees that with the angle of the sun at the time made them appear to be on fire. We climbed steps that must have been carved by very tall men and stopped at countless points for amazing views. It fed my soul. 

That same tone permeates the Biblical words we just read. Psalm 8 begins and closes with the exclamation “O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”  Had the writer stopped with those lines we would have been unsure as to the source of his praise, but the Psalmist makes clear the reason for such joy. “When I look at your heavens,” he exclaims “the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established…” You can hear the wonder in his words; a sense of amazement at the beauty of the world around him. 

It’s easy for me to picture the Psalmist gazing upon Israel’s equivalent of The Mighty Five when he wrote those words. Perhaps for you, the moment most likely to evoke a similar response is while strolling along the beach at sunset or gazing upon the face of a newborn.  Maybe, the setting that generates a sense of wholeness and peace in you is the sound of a gentle breeze blowing through the trees or watching the mist rise from a thunderous waterfall.  One does not have to look far to see evidence of God’s creative hand and when we do, we can understand how the Psalmist felt. I experienced that gift repeatedly last week. 

Yet his observance about creation does not stop with a description of the creation’s beauty, but instead leads to a question. “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?”  The writer is marveling how alongside such an intricate tapestry in creation that God pays attention to the likes of you and me. Expressing a deep sense of awe over the love our Creator extends to all of us. 

It’s natural to feel that way when standing before a majestic mountain or a deep canyon, jagged red cliffs or changing leaves.  And it’s equally appropriate to let such settings fill your heart with praise of God. I hope that the week ahead has occasions that evoke both responses in you. 

Author of all creation, how small I am in comparison to this amazing world you have made. Yet somehow, you still care for me.  Thank you.  Amen.