Orion Nebula

On a clear night last April this is what we saw… sort of. My colleagues and I were on the roof of the observatory at Boston University looking through telescopes at different objects in the night sky. One of the telescopes was focused on the Orion Nebula. Granted we were not getting the Hubble Space Telescope version, but our view of this nebula 1500 light-years away was still pretty awesome. It was a small glimpse of the cosmos on a cool April night.

It’s July now and as I type this I can look out my window for a glimpse of a different cosmos. These flowers are planted along my driveway, about 15 feet away. I’m pretty sure that my colleagues won’t be making the trip across town for a view of my “cosmos,” but I must say they are pretty awesome as well!

Cosmos – The Flowers

In less than a month… yikes!… school begins again. I’ll be making the drive across town to teach kids about the wonders of God’s creation from cosmos to the Cosmos. God made it all. It’s his world. There’s awe and wonder to be found among the stars and delicate beauty to be enjoyed among the flowers. We’ll learn about the power and providence of our creator. The God who placed and directs the planets, stars and nebulae in the vastness of space also cares for the flowers which are here today and will be gone with the first frost. He cares deeply for his creation… and even more so for us.

My wife says she can tell that the new school year is getting closer, yes, by looking at the calendar, but also by how I act! My stress and anxiety level increases she says. Maybe so. Maybe I should take a lesson from the creation. “Therefore I tell you not to worry about your life… Look at the birds of the air…. See how the flowers of the field grow… Seek first his kingdom…” Matthew 6:25-34

The hymn, “This is My Fathers World” is a song about creation but more so a song about God’s sovereignty. It’s also a comfort hymn.

“…why should my heart be sad (stressed, anxious, worried)?
The Lord is King;
let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!”

Click here to listen to the Dordt College Concert Choir’s wonderful rendition of this hymn.