Listen:
“Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, You are very great. You are clothed with honour and majesty.” (Psalm 104:1, NRSV)
Reflect:
Enthralled By God’s Splendour.
I have been isolated and quarantined a few times in the twenty years I lived with chronic respiratory diseases. These were some of the most challenging periods of my fiery ordeals. I assumed that with these past experiences, I could easily take the COVID lockdown in my strides. By the third month of the stay-at-home, I became agitated and edgy. The confinement and having all my plans cancelled got to me; I felt the wall of my home closing up on me as I sheltered in.
I sat in my kitchen and gazed at the sky beyond the window, and I longed to spread my wings and soar above clouds. I watched the clouds like candy floss fleeting across the sky in quick succession. It was mesmerising and calming. The more I watched, the more I marvelled at the works of God’s hands. So I switched my workspace to the garden.
The sun blazed against the blue sky with scattered clouds. Lustrous, vibrant green leaves swayed in the warming breeze. My heart joined the heavens to declare the glory of my God. The beauty of nature took my eyes off the restrictions and kept the extraordinary work of God in my view.
Nature is a living mirror reflecting the glorious majesty of our God. Every work of creation displaying the glory of God give us reasons to praise Him. The stunning fabric of the world reveals glimpses of God’s splendour. Words take a bow at the magnificent expressions of the Master Artist’s indescribable beauty.
Prayer of Response:
“In everything I will praise and bless You, my Lord! O Lord, my God, Your greatness takes my breath away. You overwhelm me by Your majesty, beauty, and splendour. Your indescribable beauty calms my heart when it flutters with agitation. Let the beauty of Your majesty keep my gaze fixed on You when all around me threatens my peace. Amen.”
—Submitted by Irene Olumese
Irene is a lung transplant survivor, a bilateral amputee, and a living proof of God’s grace. She is the Founder of the Feet of Grace Foundation, which raises funds to provide prosthetic rehabilitation to indigene amputees. Irene speaks and writes to inspire hope for those going through life’s adversities. She lives in Geneva, Switzerland, with her husband, Peter, and their two adult sons.
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