The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. . . . The sun bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race. The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat. — Psalm 19:1-2, 5-6
A few weeks ago my three year old daughter responded to the sunrise by shouting out, “Mom! I see God at work!” “Hi God!”
How do you respond to the glory of God by which you are surrounded as you make your way to campus, around campus, in your academic endeavors . . . living moving, breathing, thinking, loving, righteously Deploying Vocational Power for the common good in a body “fearfully and wonderfully” knit together “in the image of God” in your mother’s womb?
Today (and each and every day), I encourage you to join me in taking time to observe God’s “craftsmanship.” I have found starting this practice first thing in the morning leads to a day framed by (and many times filled by) praise, thanksgiving, and the longing to invite others to “see” God at work through the lens of His Word which is more desirable than gold, even the finest gold . . . . sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb (Psalm 19:10)! Come, take, eat, and enjoy.
Note 1: Psalm 19 provided direction for me as I led Saturday and Sunday morning prayer at the 2012 CMDA Northeast Winter Retreat. Inspired by the Word, I not only took numerous pictures throughout Saturday (which I shared during Sunday morning prayer), but also I marveled at the great athlete running the race with other conference participants.
Note 2: In the coming weeks I’ll post material stemming from my meditations/research on Psalm 19 for a fall research paper (OT 559 Psalms. Professor David A. Dorsey, Evangelical, Myerstown, PA) interwoven with readings (e.g., Paul Brand & Philip Yancey’s In The Likeness of God), conversations (e.g., Owen Gingerich, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and of the History of Science at Harvard University and a senior astronomer emeritus at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory), and upcoming Emerging Scholars events in South Central PA (e.g., Scot McKnight on February 19).
Note 3: If you’d like more to consider regarding Psalm 19 right now, swing by an earlier post, Your Mind Matters 2: Why Use Our Minds?, drawn from the work of John Stott.
About the author:
Tom enjoys daily conversations regarding living out the Biblical Story with his wife Theresa and their four girls, around the block, at Elizabethtown Brethren in Christ Church (where he teaches adult electives and co-leads a small group), among healthcare professionals as the South Central PA Area Director for the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA), and in higher ed as a volunteer with the Emerging Scholars Network (ESN). The Christian Medical Society / CMDA at Penn State College of Medicine is the hub of his ministry with CMDA. Note: Tom served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship / USA for 20+ years, including 6+ years as the Associate Director of ESN. He has written for the ESN blog from its launch in August 2008. He has studied Biology (B.S.), Higher Education (M.A.), Spiritual Direction (Certificate), Spiritual Formation (M.A.R.), Ministry to Emerging Generations (D.Min.). To God be the glory!
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