1 In the year that king `Uzziyah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the serafim. Each one had six wings. With two he covered his face. With two he covered his feet. With two he flew. 3 One called to another, and said,
"Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of Hosts! The whole eretz is full of his glory!"
4 The foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then I said, "Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts!"
6 Then one of the serafim flew to me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar. [Isaiah 6:1-6 HNV]
Because of where I live, I’m treated to spectacular displays of the magnificent, creative glory of God. Recently, on a drive through the woods, I was struck with a breath-taking display of deep rich reds and a variety of yellows that decorated the trees of autumn—all artfully arranged against the backdrop of a brilliant blue sky.
And soon, as the temperatures plummet and winter blows in, I’ll be reminded that no two snowflakes are ever the same as they pile on top of one another to create a rolling landscape of pristine white drifts. After that will come the miracle of spring, when that which seemed hopelessly dead bursts into life with buds and blossoms that will grace the meadows with a multiplicity of colors.
Wherever we look in the world around us, we see evidence that “the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3).
What is amazing is that the creation that surrounds us is damaged by sin (see Romans 8:18-22), yet God has seen fit to grace our fallen landscape with these loving brushstrokes of His creative hand. It serves as a daily reminder that the beauty of His grace covers our sin and that His love for that which is fallen is always available to us.
Lord, may we be ever mindful of Your grace and love
in all that surrounds us. Thank You for making Yourself
visible through the beauty of Your creation. Teach us
to look beyond the beauty to see Your hand at work.
Never pass up an opportunity to enjoy nature’s beauty—it’s the handwriting of God.
