Wednesday, May 23: Job 36- Lord of all, to thee I raise, this my song of grateful praise..

As I was completing my reading and zeroing in on the words upon which I would meditate, verses 26-30

How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out. "He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind. Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion? See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea.

I began to sing from memory the old hymn, For the Beauty of the Earth.

1 For the beauty of the earth,
for the beauty of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies.

    Refrain:
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this, our hymn of grateful praise.

2 For the wonder of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale and tree and flower,
sun and moon and stars of light, [Refrain ]

3 For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth, and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild, [Refrain] 

4 For yourself, best gift divine,
to the world so freely given,
agent of God's grand design:
peace on earth and joy in heaven. [Refrain]

No matter how much science helps us understand the incredible, interconnected workings of our world, the greatness of our God and creation He has wrought fills me with wonder, joy, gratefulness and amazement. God is beyond understanding. The more we know, the more amazed I grow and the more I realize I do not know! God is beyond all, creating all from nothing.

I gaze out my large windows on a damp spring day. The rains of last night are over, the flowers and earth has been watered yet again. Birds fly, small creatures begin their daily hunt for food, blossoms open, mosses come to life thanks to the moisture of the rain… even muted by the gray tones of the overcast morning the world is beautiful. I marvel at the Lord who made all this and gave me (us) eyes and ears and hearts to soak it in and glory in Him.

Lord of all, to thee I raise, this my song of grateful praise.

Oh, God, thank You for Your majesty, Your creation, Your love and faithfulness. Thank You for the delight of knowing You and seeing You in the world around me. Lord of all, to thee I raise, this my song of grateful praise. Through Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.