BEHOLDING HIS GLORY

He [God] also says to the Son [Jesus], “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. They will perish, but you remain forever.”

—Hebrews 1:10–11 (NLT)

I grew up on a farmland in a very small village deep in the heart of the country; it was surrounded by the beauty of nature, and the leaves on the trees were always green. Everywhere I looked, as far as my eyes could see, was the glory and the majesty of Jesus, our Lord and Savior and the mastermind behind the enchanting beauty of all creation. The magic and the vast expanse of the entire universe reveal His glory. I see His glory in the grandeur of the lofty mountains, in the distant horizon, in the perfect architecture of the heavens and the earth, in the blinding brilliance and glorious warmth of the energy-giving sun, in the romantic light of the moon, in the twinkling stars, in the softly radiant blue skies, and in the brilliant display of the multicolored and visionary rainbow. The majesty of the seas and the land, the cascading waters of the rivers and the waterfalls, the beautiful scenes of nature, and the hills and the valleys spreading out all around me with such artful designs all declare the glory of Jesus, our Creator, God, and King.

The lilies of the valley and the flowers of the field—so beautifully arrayed, the freshness of the leaves and the petals from the early morning dew drops, and their sweet and alluring fragrances that scientists try so hard to imitate—all declare the wondrous beauty and glory of Jesus, the Creator. As I walked along the countryside, the greenery of the farmland spread out for miles around. The farmers dig holes in the ground where they hide tiny seeds or plant miniature trees, add a little fertilizer and some manure, and then walk away. While they tend to other business, Jesus waters their gardens with rain and bathes them with warm sunshine. While the farmers sleep in their beds at night, tiny sprouts begin to germinate, and in time they grow into large plants or huge trees, each bearing food of a different kind. This is a remarkable mystery. We plant tiny seeds in the ground, and the God of all creation causes them to grow and bear fruit, giving us the increase we hoped for. The mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds, yet, as Jesus pointed out, it grows to be the largest of all herbs. It spreads out its great branches feathered with numerous tiny green leaves, and it provides shade for the weary traveler and a home for so many birds. This is very marvelous indeed. The springtime and harvest each speak to the glory and infinite wisdom of our almighty God.

The birds of the air and the animals of the field—all so beautifully and gloriously fashioned and decorated, each after its own kind—tell the story of the Creator. The gracefulness of the giraffe and the meekness of the lamb tell of the grace, meekness, humility, and patience of the Creator. The lamb reminds us of Jesus’s great sacrifice, as the perfect Lamb of God, for all humankind. The strength and boldness of the lion tells of the strength and power of Jesus, the lion of the tribe of Judah. The radiant colors of the birds that fly and the spectacular beauty of the proud peacock—as it spreads its tail to show off the brilliant display of blue, green, red, orange, brown, purple, yellow, pink, and other beautiful shades—tell me of the Creator’s love of beauty and elegance. The fish in the sea and the creeping things upon the face of the earth, all so perfectly formed, tell of the perfection of Jesus. He created man in His own image and just a little lower than the angels, giving us the ability to think and to exercise power over all other creations. Everything that the hand of God has touched and created exclaims of the beauty, glory, splendor, grace, strength, power, and love of its creator.

Have you ever been outside in the country very early in the morning before the sunrise and watched the mixture of yellow and orange glow with rosy shades of red spread across the eastern sky as the sun peaks over the horizon? Have you ever seen the soft, gentle, and radiant beauty of the morning sky, so breathtaking, as the sun rises higher and higher over the horizon? Have you ever paused to consider the beauty of the sovereign being behind such a beautiful and masterful work of art? What about the sunset? Have you ever beheld the breathtaking beauty as the sun slowly sinks into the horizon? Have you taken in the glorious and magical picture painted by the mix of so many brilliant colors—the dazzling red, the glow of orange and yellow, and the soft blue, pink, and purplish tones—all coming together? The feeling of romance in the air, the warm glow of love, and the perpetual beauty of the never-failing sunset are all so captivating. They each tell the story of the Creator. Such natural beauty could never exist without a masterful designer, and the sheer beauty of it all describes the very heart of the Creator. It tells of His beautiful and perfect heart of love—a heart that loves beauty, elegance, and perfection; He is a God of peace and serenity.