God’s Footprints

Welcome to the Wednesday devotional from Our Daily Bread.

Our writer for today is James Banks, and he's titled the reading, God's Footprints. I know where God lives. Our four-year-old grandson told my wife, Carrie. Where is that, she asked. Her curiosity peaked. He lives in the woods beside your house, he answered. When Carrie told me about that conversation, she wondered what prompted his thinking.

I know, I responded. When we went for a walk in the woods during his last visit, I told him that even though we can't see God, we can see the things he's done. Do you see the footprints I'm making?

I had asked my grandson as we stepped through a sandy place by a river. The animals and the trees and the river are like God's footprints. We know that he's been here because we can see the things he's made. The writer of Psalm 104 also pointed to the evidence for God in creation, exclaiming, how many are your works, Lord? In wisdom, you made them all.

The earth is full of your creatures. The Hebrew word for wisdom found here is often used in the Bible to describe skillful craftsmanship. God's handiwork in nature proclaims his presence and makes us want to praise him. Psalm 104 begins and ends with the words, praise the Lord. From a baby's hand to an eagle's eye, our creator's artistry all around us speaks of his consummate skill. May we take it all in with wonder today and praise him for it. Now let's be refreshed by hearing the words of the Lord from Psalm 104 verses 24 through 35. How many are your works, Lord?

In wisdom, you made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number, living things both large and small.

There the ships go to and fro and Leviathan, which you form to frolic there. All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up. When you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.

When you hide your face, they are terrified. When you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your spirit, they are created and you renew the face of the ground. May the glory of the Lord endure forever. May the Lord rejoice in his works.

He who looks at the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord all my life. I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him as I rejoice in the Lord. But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Praise the Lord, my soul. Praise the Lord. Now let's pray. Heavenly Father, we're in awe of your handiwork when we look at nature. Your hand in creation is on display for all to see. We look forward to the day when sin will be no more and all of creation will rise up in praise forever. What a day that will be. It's in Jesus' name that we wait. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.