In the daytime, we go outside and enjoy the sunshine even to the point in warm weather of getting sunburn. In the evening, we again step outside to look at the stars that provide a light show for our enjoyment. But when we enjoy these lights of nature, do we stop to thank and praise God for the beauty of the universe He created for us?
The writer of this psalm gave a new perspective. “Praise Him, sun and moon! Praise Him, all you twinkling stars! Praise Him, skies above! Praise Him, vapors high above the clouds! Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for He issued His command, and they came into being. He set them in place forever and ever. His decree will never be removed.” (Verses 3-6)
Today we have people who seem to think that planet earth is doomed because of our use of natural resources God has provided for us. Of course, since they have been forecasting our imminent demise beginning in the 1970’s, each decade we have been told we only have 10 years to save our planet. And yes, we could take better care of this temporary home we live on, but we must realize that God is in total control.
Consider this, one of the biggest challenges we face today is world population growth. In the late 1700’s, a man named Thomas Malthus wrote that because of the population of his day the world would soon experience starvation. Little did he know the industrial revolution of the early 1800’s and the continuing addition of machines, fertilizers, and other things would solve the food supply problem.
Today we are being told a similar catastrophic will end to our planet, but this time it is global climate change. But consider this, we have a world population larger than anything Malthus could imagine along with a very mild increase in climate temperature. Because God does exist and is in control of the planet, maybe He is gradually allowing nature to create a warming of the tundra in places like Canada and Siberia where crops can be grown to provide new food sources in the future.
Man is not in control and never can be. After decades of trying to keep our environment clean, we still have people throwing trash out of their vehicle windows for someone else to clean up. Education does not correct the attitudes of people who do care; fines for littering are not a deterrent. Government is truly powerless especially when some nations will do nothing to curb their pollution problems. Praise God, He is in control.