Last month Dave and I did a bucket list vacation. We had never camped together before so we went “glamping.” (As our daughters fondly referred to it). We also went to the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan, which we had never been to. I have lived in Michigan for 20 years and have never been to the UP so it was quite a bucket list vacation. We went to Tahquamenon Falls, Sable Falls, Pictured Rocks, the Soo Locks in Sault Saint Marie, and we stayed at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. It was a wonderful vacation and God’s Creation was magnificently on display.
Have you ever seen the stars when there is no light pollution? The sky is alive with the light from the stars. I stood and looked up in awe and amazement of the beauty and wonder of our God. I had never seen so many stars.
The thing that amazed me the most was Pictured Rocks. Pictured Rocks is in Munising and is a wonderful display of beautiful colors on Sandstone rock. The colors come from different minerals. Red and orange (iron), blue and green (copper), brown and black (Manganese), and white (limonite) are the common colors that are seen.
As I listened to the recording tell us how these colors and these rock formations were formed, all I could think about was Luke 19:40 “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” The rocks are crying out the glory of God. The rock is porous sandstone allowing for water with minerals to trickle through causing the staining. This could have only happened during the flood. This great amount of rock laid down in this way allowing for the water to flow through and displaying these beautiful colors from the minerals carried by the water could have only happened through the mighty power of an omnipotent God.
Yet, as we went on this boat tour the beauty is attributed to happening over millions and millions of years of formation. The world has been so blinded to the truth of God all around them in Creation. This year more than ever, I have viewed the beauty of the colors of fall and exclaimed out loud how beautiful God’s creation is. Do you ever praise God’s name out loud, even when you are by yourself, over the beauty of His Creation?
I then think if I am so overcome with emotion over the beauty that God has given for us to enjoy in His creation, how magnificent heaven will be. I rode my bike 20 miles this week and I started just before sunrise. The trail was awash with beautiful colors and the sun was rising giving off the beautiful colors of orange and yellow and it lit the sky. I was in awe of the beauty around me.
If that scene is so breathtaking to me, I cannot imagine heaven being better. But it will be because we will be with Jesus. Looking into the face of Jesus and being in His presence at all times will be even more magnificent.
As you go about your days, enjoy the beautiful sites that God has made for you to see. Take time to praise His name. So often I say, “Lord, do You see the beauty of these fall colors, this sunrise, these stars?” I know He sees it, but I want Him to know that I see it too and I am praising Him for it.
He made the world for us to enjoy and then praise Him for it. Do you?
If you don’t “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” (Luke 19:40).
