Psalm 104:13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
    the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.

This Psalm is a paean to God for the wonders of the natural world. It shows what today would be called a “primitive” understanding of the universe, but it gets one thing very right: God created and rules it all. I feel sorry for anyone who denies even “intelligent design” in how things are, because there is incredible complexity, beauty, grace and even humor in it all. It would be hard to convince me that God doesn’t have a sense of humor when he created some of the animals we see – or, for that matter, humans! There is a huge irony to the way some people want to worship the created universe, calling it Gaia or something of the sort, and yet deny the One who created it all. My only conclusion is that they want to justify their “natural” impulses, without accountability. Any parent can tell you that not all of a child’s natural impulses are wise or beneficial! That’s one of the biggest challenges of parenting, but God is the perfect Parent, not only letting us know what is right but doing so gently, and as firmly as necessary. As His children, we should delight in the universe in which He has placed us, and seek to hear Him as accurately and obediently as we can, for our blessing and His glory.

I love to take pictures of the natural world, carrying a camera just about everywhere I go. Buildings and such can make interesting pictures, but I’d much rather get shots of birds and sunrises and the like. I am constantly amazed at God’s infinite creativity. He certainly doesn’t seem to think much of monotony! Usually, when I go out walking with my camera, my heart is filled with songs of praise and gratitude to such a Creator. That certainly makes my life more enjoyable! That doesn’t mean I’m not interested in the scientific explanations for all the things I’m seeing, but it does mean that I keep the awareness of the Creator of it all as the foundation for my appreciation of it. Nothing says that God had to make His universe so beautiful! As I share my pictures with people, it is my prayer that they too will recognize the work of their Creator, and turn their heart to Him.

Father, thank You indeed for Your magnificent universe, and for the privilege of sharing it with others through photography. May my pictures and my words consistently point people to You, so that they too may walk in gratitude for Your amazing grace, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!