Our Finiteness
And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years… And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.”… And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. Genesis 1:14, 20, 24
I am obsessed with the liturgies that I have discovered in Every Moment Holy. There is a liturgy for almost any circumstance in life. I’ve read them at dinner gatherings, mailed some to grieving friends, and read them in meetings. As my family traveled for our annual beach trip, I read “A Liturgy for Arriving at the Ocean” to my captive audience in the car.
It read, “We have traveled this day to the bounding sea, O Lord, to the far end of the habitable land, as to the utter end of our own measure and ability and strength to find here reminders of your limitless presence extended immeasurably beyond us. May we lay down our pretensions of power. May we know solace and calm and wonder and delight… May the stresses of obligation, reputation, and deadline, here dissolve…”
During the beach week, I biked for exercise and for pleasure. Each time I rode, I felt layers of responsibility peel off as if I were removing one coat at a time. I began to feel more alive and present each day. One morning I woke up with the early sun on the Gulf Coast and quietly made my way to the porch. I sat there and just stared at the ocean: the waves, the colors of the ocean and the sand, the birds hovering across the surface of the water. As the story of creation revealed itself to me before my very eyes, I added God’s word to the scene by reading Genesis 1. The words and phrases came to life as I looked down at scripture and then looked up at the incredible creation around me. It was the living word of God laid out before me.
Choosing to spend time in creation away from our regular routine helps us to realize both our finiteness and God’s infiniteness. It puts us in touch with ourselves and with our God, who loves us. As you get away this summer for an intentional vacation, take a weekend off, or simply go for a long walk around the neighborhood, think about the layers you need to shed and turn over to God. Take a slow look all around at creation and let the words of scripture come to life before your eyes.
For Reflection
What layers of stress or responsibility are you carrying?
When is you next intentional time away from your routine?
Prayer
O Lord, we seem always to keep our heads down and get caught up in ourselves and our own busyness all year‑round. Help us this summer to take time to get away and re‑create with You, to lift our heads up, and to remember above all that we were created by and loved by You. Amen.