All of Creation Sings

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Declare to Me, if you have and know understanding. Who determined the measures of the earth, if you know? Or who stretched the measuring the line upon it? Upon what were the foundations of it fastened, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” - Job 38:4-7

This is a magnificent passage of Scripture. The Book of Job has held a special place in my heart since the latter part of 1996, when my husband and I found ourselves in less than optimum conditions. I felt that I was finally able to understand some of the pain that Job endured and was very glad that my hardship didn't hold a candle to his. But that's not what I wanted to talk about today.

A few days ago my son and I were learning about sound. As I was reading the curriculum a sentence jumped out at me - “When the morning stars sang together.” Initially I thought that it was fascinating and tucked it away for later investigation. Then I popped in a video about sound that I had borrowed from the library - a secular science video. Right in the middle of this video they began explaining how stars vibrate and give off sound waves, but we can't hear them until these waves enter our atmosphere and have something more dense than the vacuum of space to travel through. I had an epiphany right there on our living room couch - the stars really do sing! As this information was fermenting in my brain, I started thinking of a few other scriptures.

“As He was approaching [the city], at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to rejoice and to praise God [extolling Him exultantly and] loudly for all the mighty miracles and works of power that they had witnessed, crying, `Blessed (celebrated with praises) is the King Who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven [freedom there from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin] and glory (majesty and splendor) in the highest [heaven]!' And some of the Pharisees from the throng said to Jesus, `Teacher, reprove Your disciples!' He replied, `I tell you that if these keep silent, the very stones will cry out.'” - Luke 19:37-40

“For the creation (nature) was subjected to frailty (to futility, condemned to frustration), not because of some intentional fault on its part, but by the will of Him Who so subjected it - [yet] with the hope that nature (creation) itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and corruption [and gain an entrance] into the glorious freedom of God's children. We know that the whole creation [of irrational creatures] has been moaning together in the pains of labor until now” - Romans 8:20-22

“Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)” - Psalm 150:6

Stars singing. Stones crying out. Creation groaning. Everything that draws breath. Wow! How cool is that? It seems that everything in creation communicates praises to God, but it didn't dawn on me until a few mornings later. It was around 5:00 in the morning and the birds were waking up outside. It's really an amazing thing to listen to - just a continual chatter as they shake off their sleep and start their day. My initial reaction was less kind as I really didn't want to be awake that early. That's when it struck me. Every sound that those birds were making were praises to God! Every sound every animal makes is a praise to God! Then there are us humans.

Out of all creation, we are the only ones who have been given free will. God has given us the choice to follow Him or not. For those of us who have chosen to follow Him through a relationship with the Messiah, we are now expected to live differently than the rest of the population. One of the ways that should mark us as Christ's is our speech.

“Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.” - Hebrews 13:15

“But the human tongue can be tamed by no man. It is a restless (undisciplined, irreconcilable) evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who were made in God's likeness! Out of the same mouth come forth blessing and cursing. These things, my brethren, ought not to be so. Does a fountain send forth [simultaneously] from the same opening fresh water and bitter? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine figs? Neither can a salt spring furnish fresh water.” - James 3:8-12

I'll be the first to admit that my “fountain” sends forth both fresh and bitter water. I'm not as bad as I used to be, but I'm nowhere near where I need to be. But it is my desire to one day be able to join the rest of creation and speak or sing only that which is a praise to my Lord. I try not to think about the fact that I'm unable to keep up with the birds when it comes to praising God. All I can do is allow the Lord to work in me and bring me into greater realms of freedom in Christ, letting go of the things of this world, and trying to live a life pleasing to Him.

The next time you hear the birds singing in the trees or hear a dog barking in the distance, just remember that they are praising their creator. Maybe you could stop and join them. God bless you on your journey!


	All of Creation Sings “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Declare to Me, if you have and know understanding. Who determined the measures of the earth, if you know? Or who stretched the measuring the line upon it? Upon what were the foundations of it fastened, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” - Job 38:4-7 This is a magnificent passage of Scripture. The Book of Job has held a special place in my heart since the latter part of 1996, when my husband and I found ourselves in less than optimum conditions. I felt that I was finally able to understand some of the pain that Job endured and was very glad that my hardship didn't hold a candle to his. But that's not what I wanted to talk about today. A few days ago my son and I were learning about sound. As I was reading the curriculum a sentence jumped out at me - “When the morning stars sang together.” Initially I thought that it was fascinating and tucked it away for later investigation. Then I popped in a video about sound that I had borrowed from the library - a secular science video. Right in the middle of this video they began explaining how stars vibrate and give off sound waves, but we can't hear them until these waves enter our atmosphere and have something more dense than the vacuum of space to travel through. I had an epiphany right there on our living room couch - the stars really do sing! As this information was fermenting in my brain, I started thinking of a few other scriptures. “As He was approaching [the city], at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to rejoice and to praise God [extolling Him exultantly and] loudly for all the mighty miracles and works of power that they had witnessed, crying, `Blessed (celebrated with praises) is the King Who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven [freedom there from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin] and glory (majesty and splendor) in the highest [heaven]!' And some of the Pharisees from the throng said to Jesus, `Teacher, reprove Your disciples!' He replied, `I tell you that if these keep silent, the very stones will cry out.'” - Luke 19:37-40 “For the creation (nature) was subjected to frailty (to futility, condemned to frustration), not because of some intentional fault on its part, but by the will of Him Who so subjected it - [yet] with the hope that nature (creation) itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and corruption [and gain an entrance] into the glorious freedom of God's children. We know that the whole creation [of irrational creatures] has been moaning together in the pains of labor until now” - Romans 8:20-22 “Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)” - Psalm 150:6 Stars singing. Stones crying out. Creation groaning. Everything that draws breath. Wow! How cool is that? It seems that everything in creation communicates praises to God, but it didn't dawn on me until a few mornings later. It was around 5:00 in the morning and the birds were waking up outside. It's really an amazing thing to listen to - just a continual chatter as they shake off their sleep and start their day. My initial reaction was less kind as I really didn't want to be awake that early. That's when it struck me. Every sound that those birds were making were praises to God! Every sound every animal makes is a praise to God! Then there are us humans. Out of all creation, we are the only ones who have been given free will. God has given us the choice to follow Him or not. For those of us who have chosen to follow Him through a relationship with the Messiah, we are now expected to live differently than the rest of the population. One of the ways that should mark us as Christ's is our speech. “Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.” - Hebrews 13:15 “But the human tongue can be tamed by no man. It is a restless (undisciplined, irreconcilable) evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who were made in God's likeness! Out of the same mouth come forth blessing and cursing. These things, my brethren, ought not to be so. Does a fountain send forth [simultaneously] from the same opening fresh water and bitter? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine figs? Neither can a salt spring furnish fresh water.” - James 3:8-12 I'll be the first to admit that my “fountain” sends forth both fresh and bitter water. I'm not as bad as I used to be, but I'm nowhere near where I need to be. But it is my desire to one day be able to join the rest of creation and speak or sing only that which is a praise to my Lord. I try not to think about the fact that I'm unable to keep up with the birds when it comes to praising God. All I can do is allow the Lord to work in me and bring me into greater realms of freedom in Christ, letting go of the things of this world, and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. The next time you hear the birds singing in the trees or hear a dog barking in the distance, just remember that they are praising their creator. Maybe you could stop and join them. God bless you on your journey!