‘You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.’ (v6) Nehemiah 9:5–6
Considering the reasons we have to praise and thank God, we do well to pause and consider our life’s source. The Bible says that God formed humanity and breathed life into His creation (Gen. 2:7). The word for ‘breath’ also means ’spirit’ and refers to the life of God that inhabits every believer in the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19).
It’s easy to take life for granted and then a global pandemic stops us in our tracks. Familiarity ends in a moment and we realise we are part of something far greater than ourselves, with no power to manage our environment.
As disciples, we are part of the total creation of our heavenly Father. There is nothing that lies outside of God’s control. We confidently give thanks to our God for creating and sustaining our world. It will continue until God chooses to conclude time as we know it, signalled with the return of the risen Christ (1 Thess. 4:16).
We can live life in one of two ways. Physically, living and working whilst bound by the limitations of our mortality. Or, through the salvation of God, being continually transformed by God’s Spirit and growing into who God originally created us to become.
We need not be shackled to the limitations of our mortal and rational self, but are invited to see ourselves as part of a boundless, infinite plan. So we give joyful thanks to God, creator of all.
RELATED SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER: Neh. 9:7–37; Psa. 8; Eph. 2; 1 Thess. 4:13–5:11.
AN ACTION TO TAKE: Consider what difference it makes to your view of yourself, others and the world in which you live knowing you have eternity in your heart.
A PRAYER TO MAKE: ‘Lord, I pause to praise and celebrate that You are the creator and Lord of all creation. Amen.’
Image by Kohji Asakawa from Pixabay
