THE SOURCE

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.

PSALM 95:1–4

The outdoors are a gift from God, part of His abundance. They are alive because He is the source of all life. God breathed life into Adam, and the trees, vines, bushes, and grass that produce oxygen are from Him. The Lord is our Rock, and the soil that anchors and nurtures plant life, that houses animals in dens, came from Him. He is the Light of the world, and the sunshine that warms all life, that thaws ice and makes it possible for plants to generate oxygen, was created by Him. He is the true Vine, and the birds and bats, bees and other insects that pollinate plants are His creations. He gives us the water of life, and the streams and rivers that teem with fish and other water dwellers are from Him. The mountains that hold snow, saving up water for the land and crops, were designed by Him. The rain that waters the earth is a gift from Him.

The Lord has given us life in so many ways. He created us. He sustains us, “for in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). He brought us eternal life in salvation. He is the source of all our life, on every level, and He is worthy of our praise.

O Lord my Creator, I am awed by all that You have made. Thank You for the abundant life You give. Thank You for the astonishing variety of life on our planet! Help us to be wise and compassionate in how we behave toward Your world.