This Is My Father's World

This is my Father's world,

and to my listening ears

all nature sings and round me rings

the music of the spheres.

This is my Father's world;

I rest me in the thought

of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;

His hands the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world,

the birds their carols raise,

the morning light, the lily white,

declare their Maker's praise.

This is my Father's world:

He shines in all that's fair;

in the rustling grass, I hear Him pass;

He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world.

O let me n'er forget

that though the wrong seems oft so strong

God is the Ruler yet.

This is my Father's world:

why should my heart be sad?

The Lord is King, the the heavens ring!

God reigns; let the earth be glad!

We sang this hymn to close our service yesterday and as always, I was reminded of my childhood church.  I remember this being one of the hymns we sang often and with gusto.  I have always LOVED this hymn!  One reason is because it does remind me of Factoryville Baptist Church and the people there.  That was where I first met Jesus through people like Mrs. Vick and Aunt Laura (Laura Warnken), who taught Sunday School and Pastor Olsen and Rev. Hinds, our ministers, and most of all through families like the Stevensons, Landis', Warnkens, Reynolds and Rufeners who took me in and treated me like I was one of the family.  It was a great little church to grow up in, full of love, support and people who loved Jesus. (and me)

That is not the only reason I love this hymn, though.  It just reminds me of how awesome my Father's world is.  Who but God could create such beauty?  Sunsets, rolling hills, flowers, the stars. Everywhere I look I see His amazing creation and if I am still enough, I hear Him speaking to me. 

We speak so often about going to worship service and sometimes leave the impression that church on Sunday morning is the only time we worship.  I don't know about you, but some of my best worship is when I take time to praise the Lord for the gorgeous sunset, the beautiful changing leaves in all of their brilliant colors, freshs fallen snow, redbuds about to bloom, waterfalls, puffy white clouds that look like cotton candy... He truly does speak to me everywhere. 

We are beginning my favorite time of the year, AUTUMN.  It is a time full of football, hot chocolate, sweaters, firepits, apple cider, and most of all, the beauty of God's creation is full splendor.  The leaves are simply ablaze with His love and the mums burst forth with His joy.  Everywhere I look, God is proclaiming that He reigns, and the earth should be glad.  I hope that throughout this season, you look at the world a little differently.  Each time you see the leaves of red, orange and gold, I hope you will stop and say thank you to the Creator and never forget that this truly is Our Father's World.