Thought for Today
Psalm 96:1 O sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. . . . 12 let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
Isaiah 42:10 Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the end of the earth! Let the sea roar and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants.
Luke 12:56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
1 Corinthians 10:26 for "the earth and its fullness are the Lord's."
Is our earth sentient? Does our planet sing, feel emotions, have a sense of awareness? Or, is the language of scripture, especially Psalms, metaphorical? And, in the end, do the answers to any of those questions make any difference in our daily lives?
As I read the devotional this morning in These Days, I thought about how we relate to our physical world and how we view that physical world. The devotional is a reflection on Psalm 96:1-9 and a focus on vs. 12. As I read that devotional, the wonderful hymn This Is My Father’s World ran through my mind. I first learned that hymn as part of the Children’s Choir at Bethany Christian Church in Houston. To this day, I still remember the phrase “The music of the spheres.”
I do not believe the earth is sentient. I do not believe “All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres.” Not literally. I do, however, love the poetry of the psalms in general and the poetry in our hymns. I believe poetry allows us at times to express truths it is hard to capture in prose.
“Creation is an act of joy.” (These Days, October 14, 2026) I could not agree more. Read the Creation Narrative in Genesis. Note how often you read, “And God saw that it was good” Irrespective of what we read and hear, it is still good. There is an almost magical beauty and power in the created world around us. For that alone, if nothing else, I agree with Paul, “Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.”
I am also thinking this morning of my own understanding of humanity’s purpose in all of this, “Genesis 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.” In chapter 2, Genesis recognizes God’s hand in the creation of Creation, “Genesis 2:9 Out of the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” That forest and those trees are Eden; and, we were created for the purpose of tilling and keeping God’s garden.
Is there music playing in God’s garden? Literally? Some sort of piped-in background white noise? As I walk through God’s garden, I do not hear ‘elevator music.’ In the more poetic sense, however, I do encounter “The music of the spheres.”
There is a majesty for me in the suns burning in God’s universe. There is a poetry in the planets orbiting around those suns. Especially there is a testimony to God’s omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence in the rhythms of the universe.
We rarely stop in our busy daily lives to appreciate the rhythm of Creation. Consider the fact the night always follows day, that “Daniel 2:21 He changes times and seasons, deposes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” Throughout recorded history, this has always been the case. Our science tells us that it did take billions of years to establish the times and seasons we know on this one particular planet today. God, in his infinite wisdom, did not put us into the garden until the garden was ready to accept us.
Where is it all headed? Are we destroying God’s garden? Much of what we read and hear in the media suggests we are. I believe there is a degree of hubris in our thinking we are capable of thwarting God’s plans. Irrespective of the egos of some, only God is God. Jesus reminds us, “Mark 13:7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come.” The same is true of all of our manmade pollution and overdevelopment. The end is still to come.
Jesus also told his disciples and us, “Matthew 6:34 ‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today.’” Our care and attention to God’s garden is important. As we do till and keep it, it is also important for us to listen to “The music of the spheres.” “This is my Father’s world; I rest me in the thought Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas, His hand the wonders wrought.”
Find rest and restoration in the music of God’s Creation, trust God,
Pastor Ray