“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers” (Psalm 24:1-2)

Early Saturday morning, a few of us hit the trails at Sidecut Metropark in Maumee, Ohio, for a morning run. The sun was shining. The air was cool. The humidity was low. A perfect morning for a long run. While running through the woods and along the Maumee River, I thought of the opening words of Psalm 24. Though it is a Processional Psalm, that would have been sung by ancient pilgrims making their way to worship in Jerusalem, it also is a psalm that reminds us of God’s precious gift of land, sea, and people.

We are the heirs of the beauty of God’s creation, which includes the earth, and all that is in it; and the world, and those who live in it. One of the ways we get to love God is by tending the earth. Another way we get to love God is by caring for all of those who bear God’s sacred image. In this world, there is great beauty to behold. There is the beauty of the earth, and there is the beauty of those who dwell therein.

On this day, let us simply give thanks to the Lord, for the beauty of God’s creation. Amen