“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of His mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.” Psalm 33:6-9
It is amazing to look at the beauty of the stars, to consider the vastness of the universe, and to think about the earth and all its creatures, and then to realize that God made them all by simply saying, “Let there be …” (Gen. 1).
Almighty and everlasting God, Your wisdom and power are beyond human comprehension. We praise Your glorious name and look to You for mercy in Christ Jesus, Your Son, and our Savior. Amen.
“For in an abundance of wisdom is an abundance of frustration, and the one who increases in knowledge also increases in sorrow.” Ecclesiastes 1:18
It often seems that the foolish find more joy in life than those who see the vanities and brevity of life in this world. And those who are wise enough to see the end result of human endeavors and ambitions also know with it grief and sorrow, for they see that all who do not repent of their sinful ways and trust in Christ Jesus are headed toward eternal death and damnation rather than life eternal.
Grant me wisdom, O God, that I might see and understand the end of human endeavors, but also grant me joy in knowing that in Christ Jesus there is forgiveness and life eternal. Amen.
“‘Vanity of vanities,’ says Qoheleth, ‘vanity of vanities! All is vanity.’” Ecclesiastes 1:2
If you stop and think about it, how true these words of Qoheleth (Solomon, the teacher and assembler of these words of wisdom) are of our lives in this world! All the things people pursue in life are truly nothing more than vanity, for we all die and are forgotten by future generations. Our work perishes and is lost in the dust of time. What truly matters is that which endures the passing of time. How important it is to repent of our sinful ways and look in faith to Christ Jesus for mercy so that we might have forgiveness and the eternal blessings of heaven!
Grant that I see, O LORD, the vanities of this life and live for the life to come, repenting of the sin and evil in my life and holding fast to Your mercy and forgiveness in Christ Jesus and His cross. Amen.
“The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; by His knowledge the depths were broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.” Proverbs 3:19-20
The existence and the complexity of the earth and the heavens above reveal the great wisdom and understanding of the LORD God, our Creator. It was by His infinite knowledge that He designed this world and the vast universe, as well as the way all things work together to sustain our lives.
O LORD God, grant that I see in Your creation Your infinite wisdom and knowledge, and that I honor You as my Maker and my Redeemer. Amen.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the water. God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” Genesis 1:1-3
How did the eternal God create the heavens and the earth? The Hebrew word for “created” (בָּרָ֣א) indicates that God created the heavens and the earth out of nothing. He spoke the word, saying, “Let there be …” and it came into existence. As “God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light,” so God created all things by His mighty word (Read Genesis 1:1-2:3).
O all-wise and almighty God, I praise and honor You for calling all things into existence by Your mighty Word. Amen.
