O Lord, how manifold are your works! There is the sea, great and wide; creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great. There go the ships and Leviathan that you formed to play it.”
psalm 104
If you get a chance today or this week, I encourage you to read psalm 104 in its entirety. It is best read in the sanctuary of nature. Take a seat near an open window or go out on the patio. Read it from the heart or out loud and I promise you will be blessed.
Tucked within psalm 104 is an image of what I would call a summer day well spent. The psalmist is looking out at the sea and notices the abundance of life. They notice the small things, the tiny fish swimming, the zebra mussels, the birds skimming the surface. They notice the big things, the dolphins jumping out of the water, the fins of great sharks, and whales breaching for food. Life is all around them!
They watch the boats go back and forth. Even the Leviathan, a mythical creature known for creating chaos is just another one of God’s creatures enjoying the day by playing. That is right, Leviathan is playing! Not only is life all around them, but every living thing is enjoying life and the gifts of creation.
Think of a time, perhaps at a condo, lake house, or cabin in the woods, where you were able to look upon creation enjoying life. The boat towing laughing children on an innertube. The blue herring patiently waiting for its breakfast to swim by. The fish jumping at bugs on the surface, breaking the glass-like stillness of the water. Maybe it is the lapping of waves on the beach or breeze of the wind that join in with its praise. What else do you notice in that place? In what other ways do you observe life being enjoyed to the fullest?
When I first read these couple verses I was transported to a cabin in Canada where my family went growing up. From the screened in front porch, we could watch boats on the lake, safety observe thunder storms move over the water, and hear cheers from nearby fishing boats. Every day was a commotion of joy.
The good news is we can open our windows or sit on our patio and experience that same commotion of joy, where we not only observe but are invited to participate in. Maybe by reading scripture out loud, we can contribute a song like the birds. By playing with our children or grandchildren we can be like the Leviathan splashing in the water. How will you enjoy this day God has created?
Whether you are at a lake house, beach condo, or in your living room, the gifts of God’s creation are all around you! So play. Enjoy it. Eat with reverence. Drink with gratitude. And with Christ, work in solidarity so that all may experience the abundance of life on Earth.
Creator God, thank for this life and those we get to share it with. Help us enjoy the fruits of creation, relishing in the commotion of joy all around. Amen.
Blessings for the journey,
Rev. Keith McDevitt