The Forest Sings

Psalm 96:11-13
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
    let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
    let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
    he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
    and the peoples in his faithfulness.

When the leaves begin to turn and the temperatures cool, my heart sings. On our walks with the dogs, I've noticed the rich shades of purple and gold in the weeds along the ditches and woods. But nothing beats the beauty of the reds, oranges, and yellows I look forward to in the fall. The trees cycle through their process. Chlorophyll breaks down and pigments mix in and create the abundance of color. As autumn progresses the leaves tumble to the ground and carpet our walking paths. Trees are a fascinating part of God's creation. They provide shade, wood for furniture and paper, sap for maple syrup, and limbs for climbing.

As I walk in the woods I am amazed by the tall oaks and maples. The beautiful dogwood brings me joy. As much as I love the science of trees, I'm more fascinated with the Bible verses that talk about the forest singing for joy. 1 Chronicles 16:33, Isaiah 44:23, and Psalm 96:12 all talk about the trees giving praise to their creator. And I'm sure in their own way they do. The splendor of fall has to bring joy to God. He made them and they're showing off their beauty just for him.

If the trees can stand tall and rejoice to the Lord. Shouldn't I? Life gets tough. Days are hard. Weeks seem long sometimes. But even in discouragement, I want to praise God. He made me. He takes care of me. He loves me. Praise and joy to the one who created the forest!

Even the Moon Praises Him

Psalm 148:3-6

Praise him, sun and moon;
    praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.

 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
    for at his command they were created,
and he established them forever and ever—
    he issued a decree that will never pass away.

A heavy blanket of snow covered the fields as we drove along the country road. The sky graduated to an inky black and the moon, as round as a bright golden ball, cast its light. No matter where we traveled, it seemed the moon followed us. The brightness made us look to the heavens and admire the work of God. He created the round orb to reflect light on the earth at night. One more way He cared for us.

The Psalm says God created all the heavenly bodies. The sun, moon, and stars each praise Him. If these objects can light the world and show God glory, what keeps us from praising Him daily. God made so much for us to enjoy. When I saw the low hanging moon I stood in awe. And the sun and the stars…they’re just as fascinating. As winter gives way to spring (it will come, I promise) look at God’s creation and rejoice with him. Praise the Lord for the beauty he gives each day.