Creation Declares God’s Glory
For our Scripture reading today we are going to read a few passages that talk about God’s glory in Creation.
Psalm 8 is the psalmists reflection on Genesis 1 and the privileged position God gave humanity in creation.
Psalm 8 TO THE CHOIRMASTER: ACCORDING TO THE GITTITH. A PSALM OF DAVID.
1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? 5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, 7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Psalm 19:1 1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Colossians 1:16 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Luke 19:40 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
Habakkuk 2:14 14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
I wanted to include these texts in the devotional to simply demonstrate how the creation declares the glory of God. We’ve been talking a lot about creation and the creation mandate this week. Creation in all its splendor, majesty, power, beauty and wonder declares the greatness of God. Humans as God’s crowning achievement in creation are meant to have the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in creation. Since it does reflect God’s glory, we should help spread that knowledge of it throughout all of creation. We do that by following the creation mandate the Genesis narrative calls us to.
This is the end to which creation is moving towards—all of God’s creation, humans included, worshipping God in every moment every activity that they do. Creation filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD. This is the end to which God’s people are working and Jesus will fully accomplish upon his return, when he brings the new creation in its fullness (Rev. 21) when God will dwell with humans in his creation again as he did in Eden.
This is a beautiful end of the story for us to hope in and continue working towards as we seek to participate with God in his redeeming work of all of creation. This work begins and ends with humans recognizing God’s glory and worshipping him as he deserves.
For today I don’t have any additional content. Instead I’d ask you to spend some time in prayer today or this weekend, preferably outside, and borrow the psalmist’s language. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Your glory is seen in all of creation. What am I that you are mindful of me. Yet you have given me charge over creation. May I work to bring you glory in all my endeavors. May my work spread your culture in the arenas you’ve given me charge over. May my work be to spread the knowledge of the glory of the LORD in all of creation. May my heart be one of worship to you always. Amen.
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