Daily Devotional

Lynette and I enjoy camping.  In fact, as I write this devotional, we are over in El Chorro Campground near Morro Bay.  Any time I am out in nature, my thoughts turn to the God who made all the beauty we see around us.  Creation draws our attention toward the God who created everything.  The Gospel of John introduces us to the Creator.  He is called the Logos who is identified as God the Son.  In John 1:3, “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” Also, in John 1:10, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.”  As the Logos, the Word, He spoke the world and universe into existence.  He created from nothing and then fashioned His creation into an environment suitable for life…plant, marine, bird, animal, and human life.

Psalm 104 describes in poetic terms the creative work of the pre-incarnate Messiah, the Son of God.  This Psalm turns the truth of creation into a song.  The psalmist is not identified but as he contemplates the creation story in Genesis 1 and 2, he is filled with praise at the wonder and majesty of the Creator and His creative activity.

In the opening verses, the psalmist tells us that God is worthy of our praise when he writes, “Bless the LORD, O my soul!” (Psalm 104:1) As I read these words, I think of the old hymn composed by St. Francis of Assisi who lived from 1181–1226 AD, “All Creatures of Our God and King.”  He in song gives us the main truths of Psalm 104, as he encourages us to worship the great Creator of all things.  In this hymn he writes:

All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing
Oh, praise Him
Alleluia

The hymn goes on to speak of the sun, moon, stars, clouds, and wind as being a part of God’s creation.  They are the very things mentioned in this psalm as being a part of God’s creative activity.  They are called upon in the Psalm to give praise to their Creator.  And so, the hymn concludes…

Let all things their Creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness
Oh, praise Him
Alleluia

Praise, praise the Father praise the Son
And praise the Spirit three in one
Oh, praise Him
Oh, praise Him
Alleluia,
Alleluia,
Alleluia

This morning, I would encourage you to read through Psalm 104.  You will find that it is one of the most splendid praise Psalms in the book of Psalms.  I hope that you will slow down the pace of your life today to look up into the sky, or look at the mountains, or the fertile farmland around us, and worship the God Who created it all.  As St. Francis of Assisi encourages us, may we sing “Alleluia” to our Lord.  Let our hearts be filled with praise!  (If you are not familiar with the Hymn, “All Creatures of Our God and King” look it up on YouTube or Google.)  

Prayer:  Lord, our hearts rejoice and praise You!  You are our Creator, the God of the universe.  Help me to take the time today and every day to worship You for Who You are.  Let my heart be filled with gratitude and be overwhelmed by Your greatness.  Amen

New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.