How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them
all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small. Psalm 104:24-25
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim
the work of his hands.” Psalm 19:1
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you
are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” Psalm 8:3-4
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible
qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being
understood from what has been made.” Romans 1:20
The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among
the branches. Psalm 104:12
I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in
the fields are mine. Psalm 50:11
"Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it
grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds
come and perch in its branches.” Matthew 13:32
"Something about the very essence of birds seems impossible. They are ethereal creatures of the earth and air, unimaginably refined and complex, yet so common as to be the first animal we usually see when looking through a window or hear when stepping through a door" (from Creature: Paintings, Drawings, and Reflections by Shaun Tan). Birds are both ordinary and miraculous. How wonderful that God has chosen this incredible creature to be in so many places for us to enjoy, and to sing for us to know they're there! I agree with Shaun and have found myself in awe of the simple fact of birds when I’m out “in the field” photographing them. A creature that can fly! Truly amazing. And the fact that many of them migrate thousands of miles each spring and fall...incredible.
My intention here is to draw attention to what we take for
granted, the seemingly everyday that is miraculous, God’s hand at work. I think
wonder goes hand in hand with gratitude in making us realize God’s love for us
and the awe-inspiring features of the world in which we live. In that vein, I
would encourage you to take a walk in your neighborhood, a nearby trail, or
just explore your backyard.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the miracles of our
natural world. Help us to keep an open eye to the wondrous world you have
created. Thank you for your bounteous beauty! Amen.
Donna Gustafson
(photos by Donna, from top: cedar waxwing, yellow-rumped warbler, common loon, indigo bunting, belted kingfisher, blue-gray gnatcatcher, female cardinal, meadowlark. Click on each photo to view larger.)
