“To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing."
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing."
Isaiah 40:26
"He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.'”
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.'”
Psalm 46:10
Taking time to reflect on God's creation and sit quietly and listen to Him speak to my spirit is not, however, a waste of time. It is vital to my spiritual growth.
Ponder
The pansy, colorful and delicate yet hardy enough to withstand temperatures below freezing, becomes a reminder of my own state as a jar of clay. I am fragile and easily broken yet the very glory of Christ is within me. The circumstances of life will not crush me, despite my weakness, in order for the all-surpassing power of God to be made known to those who are observing my life.
The graceful-looking vulcher gliding high up in the sky reminds me that the power of Jesus that is within me is greater than the ever-present threat of evil all around me.
A tree withstanding a powerful storm is a great reminder that I need to strive to be, "rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." (Colossians 2:7)
As I walk with Jesus, I need to take the time to meditate on the lessons from scripture that He leaves hidden for me throughout His creation.
Pay Attention
Taking the time to ponder God's awesome creation and the truths hidden there gets me more in-tune with Him. Then I can practice listening to His still, small voice.
When Elijah was running for his life from the evil Jezebel, he thought he was the only one left who had not abandoned God. He felt all alone. In response, God sent a powerful wind, followed by a mighty earthquake, and then a consuming fire. But God was not in any of these overwhelming events. Instead, He came in a gentle whisper.
As I grow in my relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I need to be more like my dog Strider. He is so attuned to the neighbor's cat who roams around our yard, that he can sense the intruder even when he can't see outside.
If I was that focused on the Lord, I would always hear and respond to His gentle whisper.
Pay Tribute
I tend to think I'm not that bad compared to others. I mean, I'm no axe-murderer. I try to do the right thing. Sure, I have problems, but they're not that bad. . . .right?
As I grow closer to God, I stand before Him in awe. His holiness and righteousness reveals my wretched sin and I fall to my face in response. I cannot stand before a holy God without the blood of Jesus covering my sin.
God is above all things and He will be exalted in all the earth. But I must place Him in the highest and most honored position in my heart. I can't do that if part of me is holding that spot. . .If I think myself more than I really am.
In order to praise God as He deserves, I must humble myself and pay tribute to all that He is. I need to exalt Him in my heart.
As I grow in my walk with the Lord, I learn to recognize the importance of slowing down and focusing on my Savior. Then I can ponder His greatness, listen to His still, small voice, and place Him above all things in my heart.
I can take the time to be still and know that He is God.
As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can focus on God throughout my day.
What piece of technology poses the greatest distraction from His voice?
How do I tune God out in order to focus on all that is going on around me?
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