Psalm 96:11–13 (NIV)
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all of the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.
CONSIDER THIS
Over the past twelve days, we have been celebrating how Yahweh manifested himself through Jesus—the Protagonist. As we bring this particular season of celebration to a close, we remember that the coming of Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah is not just good news for all people, it is good news for all creation. God has a plan for creation. He created all things out of a deep reservoir of love, and everything he created he declared as “good.” God does not waste anything. He makes it perfectly clear in the Scriptures that his intention is the full restoration of the cosmos. There will be purification and renewal, but those are not the same as destruction.
We can sometimes become hyper-focused on God’s intention to save individual souls and forget that his plan is comprehensive; it includes us as individuals, but it’s not about us as individuals. It’s about the piecing back together of the whole picture, of which we are a part. For this reason, Psalm 96 depicts all of creation rejoicing at the coming of the Lord. As the connector of heaven and earth, Jesus is the one that even the trees long to see, and at the sight of him, they cannot hide their relief. In his birth and life, Jesus set into motion the mending of all things. In his imminent return, he will set the seal on all that the prophets have spoken. God will send his Chosen One to heal all that ails us. He will do so when he chooses, yet it is not for us to stand by passively. By living a holy life, we can hasten the fulfillment of Psalm 96. We undermine the nature of things through wastefulness and self-indulgence. Holiness implies simplicity, and simplicity is medicine for all that lives.
THE PRAYER
Close the gap between heaven and earth. Forgive us for any role that we have played in producing and maintaining the schism that currently exists. With Jesus as our impulse, reconnect us with the land, and reconnect us with our neighbors.
THE QUESTION
Have you experienced creation as a means of grace? Can you find time in the next few days to take a slow walk in the woods?
For the Awakening,
Josh LeRoy
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2 Responses
As a longtime, 50+year, committed organic gardener, I can fully relate to this post. Through this perspective, I’ve been able to more fully appreciate the meaning of Jesus’s parables concerning the Kingdom of God, since they were spoken to a agrarian culture. No one can fully understand the truth that these parables convey about the KOG without some sort of agricultural connection. Overall, this understanding has enabled me to better comprehend the fact that Man does not plant and grow churches, unless it is the Master Gardener working through them. One person plants, another one waters, but God makes the garden grow. And yes, all creation awaits it’s redemption!
“By living a holy life, we can hasten the fulfillment of Psalm 96.” I woke up this morning with this paragraph about living a holy life developing in my mind. It can help us truly sing and celebrate the song of Creation. After I posted it on my Facebook page, I came to today’s Wake-Up Call.
Prepare the Way for Jesus to be the Lord Within You
Christians are called to constantly fight the invisible fight of pulling down all of the corrupt desires, feelings, and habits that work to achieve and maintain a strong hold within them. Christ-followers are supposed to be continually casting down their own opinions and imaginings by compelling their every thought to always obey the risen Christ so that He can freely live and ever shine His light in them (unquenched, unobstructed, and uninterrupted). Then Jesus can fully and truly be the absolute Lord and Master of all that goes on within them. Never stop fighting the good fight of faith! (See 2 Corinthians 10:4.)