Psalm 98:7-8 (NIV)

Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy.

I love the imagery of this Psalm. It includes three of my favorite things in nature: the ocean, the rivers, and the mountains. I have often heard people ask others which they prefer, the seaside or the mountains. How could we possibly choose? Both are beautiful and unique!

I try to make at least one trip to the beach each year. My favorite time to go now is Fall. The weather is still warm, but the beaches are much less crowded when children are back in school (unless you happen to hit Fall Break week!). The view and the breeze renew my spirit. It’s hard for me to relax and sit still in my real life, even now that I am retired, but when I’m sitting by the ocean, I can relax and watch and listen to the crashing waves, or watch the sun gradually disappear below the horizon, filling the sky with brilliant colors, and feel at peace with myself and with the world.

The same is true of the mountains. Sitting by the river, just listening to water pour over rocks and the breeze whistle through the trees, is so relaxing for me. When we lived in Middle Tennessee, too far from the mountains for my liking, my work place parking lot was bordered by old, tall pine trees. I often walked out in the afternoon to the sound of the wind whistling through the pine needles and the sweet smell of evergreen. I would pause and begin to leave the stress of the day behind. It wasn’t my beloved Great Smoky Mountains, but the beauty was there.

This verse reminds us to rejoice in God’s creation. Along with oceans, rivers, and mountains, we can sing together praising God and thanking him for giving us a beautiful world in which to live. But first we must be mindful of these gifts. We are not thankful for the things we take for granted and barely notice. Sometime our lives are so rushed and frantic that we are consumed with a to do list and filled with guilt when everything does not get checked. God does not want us to live this way. I hope you can take time to notice, appreciate, and be thankful for the gift of God’s beautiful creation. Be still and listen for the clapping and singing in nature.

Let us pray:

Thank you, God, for the beauty of our world. From the mountains to the rivers and oceans, we are surrounded by evidence of Your love for us and Your creation. May we not take it for granted but rather be good stewards of Earth and continually thankful for its many gifts.

Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Pat Scruggs.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

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First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.