Creation

Yesterday, Santino and I went on a field trip with students from my school that are learning English as a second language-most speak Hmong or Spanish at home. We took them to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and then to the tide pools after. Many of these kids had never been to the ocean before, so we were excited to experience this with them!

We drove our own car, just minutes behind the bus. As we drove along the coast line just before arriving, Santino put on the song “All Creatures” by David Crowder Band. I looked out at the ocean, and turned to him and said “I hope to sing this song with these kids for all eternity”. In my heart I prayed for each child on that bus to see God’s creation, marvel, worship, and come to know the LORD.

We arrived, and the kids were SO excited! They were eager to see the sea animals, excited to learn.



We left the aquarium and we were off to the ocean, to the tide pools for the kids to experience the ocean and some marine life up close-touch it, smell it, and delight in it. They did! They were fascinated with slimy rocks, hermit crabs, starfish, and all these little creatures. I stood back for a minute and watched these kids running around smiling, laughing, running to their friends, and it just hit me . . . how much God wants all of us to delight in His creation.

I looked out on the horizon, the ocean seemed endless, there was a break in the sky, between ocean and clouds, and you could just see this rim of sunshine. Soon, you heard all of the kids yell-"look a rainbow!" (Just to the right of this picture-unfortunately you can't see it). We marveled at it together, stood in awe and wonder . . . a rainbow across the ocean sky. Glory!

In that moment, I realized God was looking down on all of this. Watching these children experience a part of His creation like never before-in community, with others to share their joy! This is exactly what God want us to be like. Worshipping, marveling, delighting in Him and His creation with others, excited to be in His presence.

We will study “Creation” this next week in Academy. We will hear about many worldviews on creation-from Darwin to philosophers, and I’m so thankful to have this experience beforehand. I am reminded in God’s word that what we experienced yesterday was not “Mother Nature” but “God, The Creator”.

“And God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear. ’And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:9-10)

“All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3)

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1)

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made . . .” (Romans 1:19-20)

“Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it” (Isaiah 42:5)

What a joy to not only know there is a Creator, but to know Him as my Redeemer, Savior, and Lord as well.

P.S. Here is a link to the song "All Creatures" by David Crowder Band. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cObXwn-EgGY&feature=related