Daily Worship

Looking up at great wonders

Neil MacLennan January 08, 2024 2 2
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Psalm 136: 1-9 (NRSVA)

1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever.
2 O give thanks to the God of gods,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever.
3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;

4 who alone does great wonders,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
5 who by understanding made the heavens,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
6 who spread out the earth on the waters,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
7 who made the great lights,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
8 the sun to rule over the day,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;

I will never forget the first time I saw the night sky in all its splendour (or at least in as much splendour as our feeble eyes can manage!) I was 8 years old and on an overnight ferry journey from Lochboisdale in South Uist to Oban, on the mainland. It was a clear night, and I was out on deck, lying on a bench, looking up.

Over the Atlantic waters, as far from the start as we were from our destination there were no polluting lights to taint the view.

And there it was: half the universe to take in with simply a turn of the head. The more I looked, the more I saw as my eyes became accustomed to the dark. Even that, though, was but some infinitesimal fraction of what is out there: the rest of the universe displayed just beyond the sight of my eyes.

 

Prayer:

 

Wonder-filled God,

You have sprinkled your world and your universe with the smallest and largest creative wonders. Graciously given to us, some for our pleasure and some for our purpose.

We praise you!

 

Wonder-filled God,

Help us to see and to know that the more we look, the more we will find you. Configure our eyes to become accustomed to the light, to discover more and more about you, your world and its people.

We praise you!

 

Wonder-filled God,

The Psalmist wrote, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.” As we gaze up into the heavens and count each star, grant us a glimpse of what “forever” means.

We praise you!

 

Amen.