Above and Beyond the Noise

Praise the Lord from the earth,
    you large sea animals and all the oceans,
lightning and hail, snow and mist,
    and stormy winds that obey him,
mountains and all hills,
    fruit trees and all cedars,
wild animals and all cattle,
    crawling animals and birds,
kings of the earth and all nations,
    princes and all rulers of the earth,
young men and women,
    old people and children.

Praise the Lord,
    because he alone is great.
    He is more wonderful than heaven and earth.

—Psalm 148: 7-13, New Century Version

When you live in the country, it’s pretty easy to climb onto the set of Psalm 148. The writer heads to the great outdoors to get perspective. And peace and quiet. Looks like a good hike or a long walk. Perhaps the world around him has gone as mad as ours. Just…walk…away for a moment and head to Reality. The steps become more labored, but the heart is pounding hard only because the vista ahead is so spectacular.  The rock he chooses for a breather is living on the edge a bit, but then that’s pretty appropriate. And in his back pocket, a dog-eared notebook. Slowly, he looks all around and above, then back all around, perhaps especially within, and passes on wisdom for the ages…

“Who made all of this? Wait, I know! Surely, nothing so magnificent just explodes onto the scene.

And yet how could there be such beauty...so constant, and yet some of it changing every minute or day as though with a swipe of a high-definition celestial paint brush?

Who does that?! Wait, I know!

Everywhere I look: Perfection—the uniqueness of every tree leaf, every flower and blade of grass, and every bird's song.

Even the trees sway in rhythm when the wind blows.

Life’s chaos and uncertainties may be pounding on the door for my attention

But here, I see only Reality once more, and true peace and security symbolized in all that You have made…’He put them in place forever and ever; He made a law that will never change.’

Isaiah was right: In quietness and trust is Your rest, indeed.

Out here, I think I finally see and understand why You loved Enoch.

You may have had very little to say about him, but what You did say was a clarion call:

A man who undertook a simple walk of quiet trust, daily communion, and joy-filled Love songs.

And that’s pretty much it?

That’s pretty much it.

I’m sure there was an overflow in there somewhere, but I guess it’s the bedrock that You’re after.

And if that’s the kind of quiet trust walk that pleases You, then I want to dial it all down to the simple essentials one more time

And be that guy.

But where was I? ...

Above all else, everywhere I look, in everything my eyes and senses take in,

I see just what I need to see most, one more time: Your faithfulness.

Even in the silence, it shouts:

‘If I AM faithful in the beauty of creation, know that I am even more faithful in working in and through every situation, and especially My beautiful creation of you.’

Help me never to take such jaw-dropping goodness for granted, but instead:

‘Let them—creation, mankind, me—praise the Name of God. It’s the only Name worth praising. His radiance exceeds anything in earth and sky...’

Wow, even my pen must be praising, because I can’t even read my own writing.

How does that happen?! Wait, I know!"....

"When I write, my perspective shifts. The mundane becomes a minefield for inspiration. My daily routine becomes an adventure, an opportunity to look for living hope where others may see none. And when I find that hope, I rejoice in the God who gave it to me. Whether I respond to beauty with a blog post, a song, or a prayer, my response is worship because I’m noticing God’s beauty and celebrating it...celebrating Him." (Ashley Abramson, Relevant Magazine)