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Reflection: Nature speaks

At about the age of five I was introduced to one of the scientific wonders of the world — the magnet. With a collection of metal shavings on paper, my brothers and I took turns at orchestrating the dance, the drag, and the suck of a million silver splinters.

All too often that’s a vignette of my day. The splinters massing to the magnet are the little dailies, and the magnet is inevitably…me. What does the Creator think about that? To get our attention he stages a tornado where we, with Job, are swept up in pageantry and poetry:

Survey earth’s foundations, not a tape can scale.

Witness seas, proud and bursting, corked at his call.

Soft bunny-wrap of cloud, fashioned by his hand.

Mystery of darkness, his orchestra and plan.

Each individual sunrise, his artistry and command.

Explain the laws of heaven, energy of an atom.

Gentle breeze, windy torrent, lightning clap and thunder explosion.

Search the source of sea, path of light, snow and hail stored for the fight.*

Who drops the dew, sugar-sifts the frost and tips the jugs of rain.

Designs Icicle and iceberg, copious constellations and starry chains.**

Prayer: I bow in confession, Lord God. With fanciful imagination I do get carried away with myself. I’m putting away my dress-ups and distractions. Stepping into your tempest of strength and ferocity I can only kneel, cover my eyes, stop my ears. You, KING OF THE UNIVERSE graciously lift your sceptre. How rich, to worship you.

*Literally: storehouses reserved for times of trouble, war and battle Job 38:22

**See Job 38-41 (It’s the Bible’s richest poetry! This much is my paraphrase.)

Job 37:1-24

1“At this my heart pounds

and leaps from its place.

2Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice,

to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.

3He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven

and sends it to the ends of the earth.

4After that comes the sound of his roar;

he thunders with his majestic voice.

When his voice resounds,

he holds nothing back.

5God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;

he does great things beyond our understanding.

6He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’

and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’

7So that everyone he has made may know his work,

he stops all people from their labor.

8The animals take cover;

they remain in their dens.

9The tempest comes out from its chamber,

the cold from the driving winds.

10The breath of God produces ice,

and the broad waters become frozen.

11He loads the clouds with moisture;

he scatters his lightning through them.

12At his direction they swirl around

over the face of the whole earth

to do whatever he commands them.

13He brings the clouds to punish people,

or to water his earth and show his love.

14“Listen to this, Job;

stop and consider God’s wonders.

15Do you know how God controls the clouds

and makes his lightning flash?

16Do you know how the clouds hang poised,

those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?

17You who swelter in your clothes

when the land lies hushed under the south wind,

18can you join him in spreading out the skies,

hard as a mirror of cast bronze?

19“Tell us what we should say to him;

we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness.

20Should he be told that I want to speak?

Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?

21Now no one can look at the sun,

bright as it is in the skies

after the wind has swept them clean.

22Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;

God comes in awesome majesty.

23The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;

in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.

24Therefore, people revere him,

for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?”

Pay attention!

Day 3 of 14

NIV

Job 37:14

Days

Job 37:1-24