How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
(Psalm 104:24 NIV)
On Tuesday, January 23, I was in prayer during my morning quiet time. Just as I began praying, I felt a sudden chill. I was sitting near an open window, but I didn’t feel a draft whatsoever moments before.
Before I knew it, the sky darkened, and rain began pouring down. Heavy, hitting the cement in hard, rhythmic drops. Loud. Out of nowhere.
Within three minutes or less, the rain stopped. Silence all over again. The clouds parted slightly letting in some light back into the room.
Talk about a dramatic change.
It got me thinking about how miraculously God works. When God moves, He moves. It’s obvious, it’s clear. You know He’s present. You see His fingerprints. You see doors open. What might take a human years to do, God can do in the blink of an eye.
Now, almost two months later, Thursday, March 22, I was again reminded of this phenomenon. This time, my morning devotions didn’t involve a sudden shift in the weather. Instead, it involved a look into Psalm 104.
In this chapter, the Psalmist expresses awe of God’s handiwork in creation.
A striking aspect of the Psalm is verses 6-24, an account of how nature, life itself, is sustained by God’s design. I encourage you to read the passage in your own time, but here’s a brief breakdown:
- V. 6-10: The waters are given their place on the planet where they will not cover the land and destroy the earth (a promise given after the flood to Noah because of his obedience in Genesis 9:11).
- V. 11: Because of the convenient placement of the water, the beasts of the field are able to access it and won’t go thirsty.
- V. 12, 17: Birds create their nests in the trees that are sustained by water.
- V. 13: All the plants of the earth are sustained because of this water.
- V. 14-15: The grass that grows provides food for cattle. Plants also provide herbs, grain, and more for humankind.
- V. 18: Hills are a refuge for goats, and rocks a home for badgers.
- V. 19-23: God created seasons through His creation. The moon and sun marks the end and beginning of another day. This creates a schedule and cycle for life–such as when the beasts of the forest go out for food at night and when humankind gets up for work during the day.
These verses are examples of God’s provision. By His design, He provides for every creature through His own creation. There are set times, set places, and set sources for food. God designed this world carefully so that all would be cared for and taken into consideration.
This is how detailed God was in the creation of the earth. It required a level of wisdom and detail beyond human comprehension. This is the same God who created me and who created you.
Just as He intentionally ordered nature, He intentionally orders our lives. This does not mean He forces us into situations outside our control. It simply means we are human beings formed with purpose and intention.
God knows your design in and out. He knows your strengths and weaknesses. He knows the best direction for you to go in on this earth. He knows the best future for you. He has an eternity for you in heaven. And you have freedom to choose it or not.
However, I’ll tell you this. There’s something vital about living things living according to their design–what they’re created to do.
Let’s go back to the picture we’re given in Psalm 104. If the waters suddenly decide not to flow in the direction they are designed to go, they won’t get to the plants that need them to survive. And if that’s the case, the animals that rely on plants to live will starve. It goes on from there.
Ultimately, there’s an order that’s disrupted. The source of life for one organism is not available. Some will miss out on getting their sustenance. When these things in nature work against their design, life doesn’t simply become harder, it becomes impossible. The cycle of life breaks.
When you trust in God’s design for your life, you will be taken care of. When you trust in your design for your life, that provision becomes a bit more unsure. Why? Simply because you’re relying on your own strength–and you weren’t created for that.
We’re human, and we have our flaws. We can’t see up ahead, and we can only work according to our limitations. You are created for more. Your true nature is to have a relationship with your Creator. To walk with Him and experience Him in your life.
The first step is receiving Christ as the Savior of your life. Romans 10:9-10, 13 states, “…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
This is the beginning of relationship: To say, Lord, I can’t do it on my own. I need You. I am a sinner, and I repent of my sins. I believe You sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross and to raise from the dead to rescue me from death. I accept Your gift of salvation for eternal life.
Know that this relationship you are given is supposed to be enjoyed. You’re not just a servant of God–you’re a child of God. He loves and delights in you.
As a father provides for his child, God provides for you. The animals don’t worry about where their food will come from–they know where it is, and they go get it.
The most striking thing about the rainfall I experienced that day in January was that I knew exactly when it came and when it left. It was a dramatic change. I believe this is how we can experience God when we invite Him into our daily lives.
When we let God in, we identify His mercies in our lives like sudden rain. The atmosphere changes. We no longer lean on ourselves, and we feel a weight lifted. We experience a joy incomprehensible, perhaps too wonderful for words. We receive the best provisions based on the best plan. And His provisions–they’re much better than the best thing we can imagine.
Are you ready for the life God has designed for you?
True intimacy, or a close relationship, with God is possible. To know the Lord deeply is possible. To know His love is possible. He’s ready for you. His Word, the Bible, is available to you. His presence is available to you. You know where it is. Now it’s your turn to get it.
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
(Matthew 7:7-11 NKJV)
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LizMargaret 
Beautifully said mr friend. Everything was designed with the purpose of knowing and God. When we do not align then all of creation suffers
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Thank you!! Absolutely–love that thought. God really designed everything with purpose. To know Him fully is to get to our purpose.
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Amen!
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