Today I watched a youtube video of pictures of Japan's beautiful Ashikaga Flower Park. What tremendous beauty (and what gorgeous music to accompany the shots). Towards the end of the video was a shot of people walking through the garden on a bridge. It struck me that of all God's creatures on earth, we are probably the only ones able to appreciate the beauty of His handiwork. You might see animals traveling to a park to find food, but as far as we know, humans are the only ones to travel for the sake of gazing upon the splendor of creation. We have this in common with God - we are given the gift to not just see beauty, but to appreciate it (and how much more, then, to be in awe of the One who created it).
Today I encourage you to stop and take in the beauty of God's handiwork around you. From the smallest flowers to the stars above, God has given you the gift to see and be in awe of the splendor of creation. Let your awe of creation overflow into praise for the Creator!
Psalm 8 (ESV) O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!