We thank the Lord for it
March 31, 2011 (Thursday)
I saw a photograph yesterday. It was the first closeup of the planet, Mercury, ever sent back to earth. It looks a lot like our moon. No chance there could be living beings there, and extremely low possibility of any kind of life, or so it would seem by the appearance of the planet’s surface.
More and more I am keenly aware of the uniqueness, complexity and magnificent beauty of our living planet, Earth. The vastness of space and the unbelievable number of heavenly bodies of various kinds in our universe would seem to imply there are planets similar to ours out there somewhere, but so far they have not been found.
Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, lightning, destructive winds, etc. show us that the earth is sometimes inhospitable to life, and the “tooth and claw” principle in the natural, wild world emphasizes that the time when the lion shall lie down with the lamb has not yet arrived. Yet there are so many things in our world that make our lives possible and thrill our senses that sometimes we just gaze in awe at the miracles all around us on this marvelous terrestrial ball.
On almost any day in our neighborhood one can look down at the ground and see the industrious ants performing their duties. Looking around the yard, we can see the green sprouts of new life. This spring, colorful wildflowers abound. Looking up, we observe the ever-vigilant hawks, whose presence in the sky silences the myriad species of songbirds that fill our trees. And what about those trees, that serve hundreds of purposes, not the least of which is production of the oxygen we need for life. At night, if you park yourself by your door or window, you can see the opossums, raccoons and armadillos around your house. At some homes, you will also see some deer, and perhaps a fox. If you are very still outside in the darkness, you may see an owl sailing by and checking you out.
The song says, “And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”