I’m writing this evening at 30,000 ft. somewhere between Chicago and Hartford. Today was the end of our 28 day western trip on which we travelled 3800 miles by car, 2500 by train and 2000 by air. In the last 4 weeks we visited 7 national parks, several historic western towns, a couple museums and one ghost town. We have crossed the continental divide numerous times, observed wildlife, hiked, jet skied and flown in a glider. It was a very full time. So full, in fact, that I have not written on this blog in nearly three weeks. Sorry!

As I’ve reflected on our time out west, taking in its natural beauty & exploring its culture and history, two passages of scripture come to mind:

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. Psalm 19:1-4

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

We were privileged to observe many amazing things:

Blue Elk

Two bull elk fighting for mastery over the herd, a moose so close we could hear him snort, the pika and marmot which live in the “tundra” of high mountain peaks.

We were impressed by the beautiful array of wild flowers which burst forth in every climate – from delicate whites and purples in the scorching desert to beautiful reds and yellows growing out of the side of seemingly barren mountain sides. We have gazed upon more mountains than we can count, driven and hiked through awesome canyons, had our breath taken away from expansive vistas. It has been an awesome and humbling experience in which I’ve been impressed by the majesty, but also the intricacy of the world in which we live.

It seems almost trite to observe that this points to a creator (somewhere out there), and if that is all that it does – we’ve missed it. You see, more than making us begin humming “How Great Thou Art” this majesty and intricate detail should move us to awe and wonder at the greatness of God.

In his book Crazy Love, Francis Chan writes that what we see around us is a revelation which we ignore at our peril – that pondering the majesty and detail of our world ought not only point us to the fact that there is a creator, but move us to worship…. and SURRENDER of our lives to this great and glorious God. All the mountains and valleys, the powerful rivers and countless stars in the night sky, all the beauty of the flowers and diversity of animals only reflect the smallest part of the greatness and glory of God. This God has called us to himself in love in Jesus Christ.

Witnessing and pondering these things should move us from the self-centered idea that life is all “about me”. To glimpse the greatness and eternity of God reveals our smallness in comparison. John Piper says: “No one goes to the Grand Canyon to boost self-esteem.” How true! When we take in the vastness and beauty of that place and contemplate the millions of years over which it was shaped our lives are revealed as the “vapor” which they are. God is great – and we are not and there is a very real sense in which we should bow and tremble before him.

Grand Canyon

Yet the amazing truth is that this God counts us as significant and in love (“crazy love” Chan would say) this God has called us to himself in Jesus by grace. This grace does not relieve us of the need for worship and surrender, but calls us to that in an even deeper way. The beauty and majesty of the universe declare the awesome glory of God – a God who loves, but who also demands our worship, our obedience and our lives. How do we respond to the God who so reveals his glory and his love? Do we offer him a part of us – the leftovers? Or are we moved to bow in worship and surrender all we have and are?

Hmmmm – guess like I’ve been away from preaching too long. Enough for tonight, The plane is about to land. More in a few days.