Psalm 19: Great Sand Dunes National Park
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ps 19:1–Ps 20.
Theme: Natural Revelation, Special Revelation (Nature and Scripture)
Best Verse: 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Command to Obey: --
Sin to Avoid: --
Promise to Claim: Natural reveals God - especially the sky and the stars.
Application to Make: Take the kids camping so that they encounter God!
Something New About God: God created everything and his creation reveals him. The glory of creation testifies about the creator.
Reflection: I came to faith by gazing at the night sky in Afghanistan. It was a completely dark sky and the stars just popped. I had heard the gospel growing up, but never believed; but I became convinced that God was real by starring at the glory of his creation night after night. After I believed I fell back on the gospel I had been taught years ago to understand who God is. Different people come to faith in different ways, but many do by encountering God in his creation. Therefore I am working to partner with the Holy Spirit by taking the family camping routinely, but building a love in my children for the outdoors, which means a love for God's creation, which I pray will translate to a love for God.
Great Sand Dunes National Park: We visited Great Sand Dunes National Park Saturday, 14 February through Monday, 16 February. It was an amazing visit, the weather was warm enough to go hiking (although as soon as it gets dark the temperature plummets!) and there was no wind. We've visited during the spring and summer before, and had to wear goggles because the wind blasted sand in our eyes. There were also few people, and the light covering of snow made everything gorgeous. The sunsets are amazing and Great Sand Dunes is an International Dark Sky Park, which means the star gazing is fabulous! Great Sand Dunes is also dog friendly, and a fun place to hike. In most national parks, you may only hike on trails, and dogs aren't allowed on those trails. At Great Sand Dunes, you can hike anywhere in the dune field, and dogs are allowed to go with you until the top of the first ridge line. The top of the first ridge line is plenty of hiking to occupy a family for half a day. Don't forget water for the kids and the puppy!
