Even sky reveals
God's splendor. Voiceless notes pulse
from sun, moon, and stars.
Haiku Inspired by Psalm 19:1-4
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One of my favorite passages in scripture (one of many) is found in Luke 19. Jesus just entered Jerusalem on a donkey, and as the crowd laid down their coats in respect, Jesus’ followers shouted His praise. They had seen miracles and they weren’t holding back: “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord.”
The Pharisees tell Jesus to silence His followers. Jesus’ answer isn’t defensive or lengthy, it’s precise: “If they don’t sing, the rocks will.”
In other words, all of nature was created to give glory to its Creator, and it will do what it was created to do.
Flip to any book of the Bible and see how long you can read before the natural world is referenced. Jesus frequently points to creation in the gospels—sparrows fed, lilies dressed, seeds sown (see Day 10). Genesis is creation. Exodus is a forty year desert tour. In the book of Job, God asks Job about the mysteries and inner workings of nature. (These questions do not solve the problem of Job’s grief, they reveal the greatness of God in spite of grief—a position each of us must consider at some point.)
Nearly every chapter of Proverbs presents natural images to describe wise (or foolish) living. Ecclesiastes uses nature to convey the temporal and cyclical reality of all created and living things. All are finite, and in a broader sense, all is being renewed. And of course, we have the Psalms, a book of poetry that highlights creation as a reflection of the Creator’s design and power, beauty and order.
Here are the takeaways: If you want to see God, look at nature. If you want to understand both your significance and your smallness, spend time outside. If you wonder how to obey God, how to give Him glory, how to live in the fullness of all He’s given, watch creation. Trees don’t decide how or if they’ll respond to God, they simply bend to the wind of His Spirit. The ocean doesn’t decide to hold back its waves for a day, it continues its natural rhythm. The sun rises daily, on time. Without hesitation, it follows the natural order set in place.
Today’s haiku is inspired by Psalm 19, a psalm attributed to David the shepherd. I like to imagine David in the fields, underneath the same sky I love so much. Anointed to become king at a young age, David returned to tending sheep for a number of years. He returned to gazing at the landscape, returned to sleeping on the ground, returned to writing poems while watching the horizon.
Observing creation was not a passing of time or waste of time. This was David’s training for kingship, the preparation he needed to lead God’s people with a heart like God’s. When David took the throne, his heart was willing and humble— alert to God’s movements, awake to His Spirit, alive in His wonder.
Lord, the sky doesn’t question how to put You on display. Day in, day out, it’s reflection of You is pure and true. May I reflect You in the same way.
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Art site www.KristinVanderlip.com
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Beautiful reminder of the wonder of Creation-God’s gift to us to learn of Him and His invitation to join the dance of fellowship with our good and loving Creator. Thank you!
I've always found it fascinating that David was prepared through just God and nature. It has brought me a lot of hope as that is where a lot of my training is from too.