by Joe Greemore

Prayer
God of the Heavens, make your home within us;
Lord robed in splendor, shine like the rays of the sun.
Though you are hidden from our sight,
Paint your love for us as clear as day across the skies.
Giver of morning glories and new beginnings,
Cover the vast landscape of our hearts,
and shower us with your mercy.
Amen.

Reflection & Scripture
What do you see when you look at the sky?

Remember when we were children, those times we used to lie on our backs and pretend we could see dinosaurs, toadstools, and icebergs in the clouds? Or maybe that was last week. The sky is still full of wonder for the marveling mind. Childlike wonder may be the purest of its kind.

When I looked at the sky this week to see the sun setting beyond the horizon, I saw what the ancient Hebrews saw: not an end, but a beginning. In Psalm 19:1-2 (The Message), David wrote:

 God’s glory is on tour in the skies,
God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.
Madame Day holds classes every morning,
Professor Night lectures each evening.

How did he know that? What did David see? Scenes from his own life? More importantly, what lessons did David learn? Perhaps wonder, the ability to pause and marvel at what God was accomplishing in David’s life, was one of the greatest lessons the King of Israel could learn.

I find it delightful to catch the occasional glimpse of what God is doing, whether it’s through the amazing artwork in the face of my neighbor or the picturesque scene of the setting sun. When I am outdoors, I recognize the whole of creation around me for what it is: a place of worship, with God the focus. God, the unseen parson, leaving notes of that mysterious presence everywhere I can see: David’s crown here, his sheep grazing there, giant Goliath advancing across the vaulted heavens toward the little puff of a boy-king; all reminders that God works in the lives of the ordinary and mundane to do wonders. When all is uncertain and in flux around me, these times are great reminders to fix my eyes “not on what is seen, but on what is unseen” (2 Cor. 4:18). It’s even better when I am able to look beyond the sky and see the focus of my searching, and to know that God’s looking right back.

Spiritual Practice
Spend some time outside this week, at a park or in your backyard, lying on your back with your family, gazing at the sky. Look for evidence and reminders of God’s love, joy, goodness, and provision there. Share what you see with your family, and invite them to share what they see with their wondering eyes. Remind everyone that God’s love for them is as big as sky. Imagine together what it would be like to sleep under the stars, and try to read what you see like a book. Journal your findings. Ask God to speak through an observation that was made and to draw your family closer through this experience.