Seeing God's Care in the World Around Me - Your Nightly Scripture - August 24th
Seeing God’s Care in the World Around Me
Your Nightly Scripture
Evening Scripture
Psalm 104
Praise the Lord, my soul.
Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.
The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.
He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.
He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them. You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth.
He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate—bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts. The trees of the Lord are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the junipers. The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.
He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl. The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens. Then people go out to their work, to their labor until evening.
How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number— living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.
All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.
May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works— he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord. But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Praise the Lord, my soul. Praise the Lord.
Evening Reflection
This evening, spend a few moments outdoors or looking outside through a window to notice the magnificence of your surroundings. Take in the shape of the clouds as God’s “chariot.” See God robed and glorious in the light of the setting sun. Marvel at the moon. How its gravitational pull keeps the Earth steady and the seasons constant. Listen for the song of a bird, singing its Creator’s praises. This is God’s work, created to be our home.
Breathe deeply, observe intently, and listen carefully to all that God has provided. The Almighty, Sovereign God commands nature. He cares for and nourishes His creatures, from the weakest to the wildest of animals. Even when those who are made in His image are wild at heart, He satisfies their needs. He brings springtime rains to grow crops, and summer sun to send a harvest. Our heavenly Father is gracious and attentive to all our daily needs, our worries, and our safety. He is attentive in every moment, whether we are awake or asleep.
Meditate on God’s goodness tonight. The continuity of our lives is in the hands of our Creator. We do not need to strive or succumb to fear. Just as the psalmist begins Psalm 104 with praise and ends with praise, so too, make praise your last words before you sleep and your first words as you wake.
Evening Prayer
Lord God,
Creator of everything, I look out my window and see the beauty of Your bountiful creation. I never want to miss listening to Your creation praising You—the beauty of the birds’ evening chorus, the gentle rustle of leaves, the bubbling of a fresh mountain stream. I breathe slowly and deeply, letting my thoughts of Your majesty and might calm my soul. Your words and Your wisdom speak life into my weary heart. Thank You for Your faithful provision that makes my heart sing with joy and wonder. I praise You with my being. May I praise You with my words every night and every morning. You are my place of rest.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
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Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
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