Morgan Marshall

Living in Texas there are a lot of thunderstorms. These roll in often and typically include some magnificent clouds and incredible lightning shows. These are the kind of storms you just want to pull up a chair and watch for hours. I like calling them “God’s fireworks” because the skies are often so beautifully colored as the lightning goes off in the midnight sky. Texas storms are truly a masterpiece of God.

Nature is and always has been one of my favorite things. I love being outside all the time, enjoying nature by going on hikes, running, and exploring. I love nature because it shows me more about who God is.

A verse struck me tonight as I read in Job 36-37. Elihu is speaking to Job. He points out a variety of types of nature, like wind, snow, rain, and ice. He goes on to say that each of these things are from the Lord, that God is the one who holds the power of these things. He is reminding Job of the magnificence and power of God, and how this is displayed in His creation.

Elihu says things like this: He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth. (Job 27:3) He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ (Job 37:6) The breath of God produces ice, and the broad waters become frozen. (Job 27:10)

And then he says the thing that stood out:

“Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God’s wonders.”

Job 27:14 (NIV)

Job is told to stop and consider God’s wonders. Other versions of this verse say, “the wondrous works of God” (ESV) and “the wonderful miracles of God” (NLT). Job is asked by this friend to consider the ways and works of God. He is not God, and he does not control the earth. God is God. God is the only one who can speak things into existence, command the skies, and control the winds.

As I read this verse I thought, “How do I stop and consider the works of the Lord?”

In a world, culture, and era where busy is new normal, fast food is not fast enough, and Amazon allows us live a life of immediate gratification, we do not stop and consider often, if ever. And this life of non-stop busyness and hurry leads us to the false belief that we do not need God, nor do we need to consider His works.

But I think I want to stop and consider the Lord and His ways. This seems so important, like an essential aspect of being human in the ways God intended for us to be human because it reminds us how small we truly are in comparison with God. Job is told to consider the ways of the Lord, His marvelous and miraculous works. I want to live a life that is slow enough to stop and consider the ways of the Lord, like Job is encouraged to do. And this includes taking time to stop and simply enjoy God’s creation.

So, what are the marvelous and miraculous works of God around me and in my life that I can stop and consider? What are the miraculous works of God around you? And what should our response to these be?

As we consider the ways of the Lord and His miracles, I believe the only right response is worship. When we consider how he commands the lightning, controls the wind, and created all of the earth, there is nothing else for us to do but bow down in worship towards our great God!

So today, I want to encourage you to STOP and CONSIDER. Take a moment right now to stop what you are doing. Look out your window and praise God for something you see that He made. Maybe it’s your kids playing outside. Maybe it’s a bird perched on a branch. Maybe it’s a newly planted tree just beginning to bud. As you look at these things, consider the Lord. Consider that He created each of these things with intentionality, purpose, and creativity. He created these things out of joy that we might worship Him all the more!

Take time today, friend, to stop and consider the ways of the Lord.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!

Psalm 34:8a (ESV)

P.S. I love the way The Message tells of these verses, so I have copied that below for you to enjoy and worship God with these words today!

“Job, are you listening? Have you noticed all this? Stop in your tracks! Take in God’s miracle-wonders? Do you have any idea how God does it all, how he makes bright lightning from dark storms, how he piles up the cumulus clouds—all these miracle-wonders of a perfect Mind? Why, you don’t even know how to keep cool on a sweltering hot day, so how could you even dream of making a dent in that hot-tin-roof sky?

Job 37:14-18 (MSG)