July 17, 2013 – Daytona Beach Shores, FL

Each morning for the past few days I’ve been blessed to take a pre-dawn walk on the beach and watch the sunrise. I’m constantly in awe as I watch the waves, the sun, the birds. For me this is a “How Great Thou Art” moment as I pause to recognize the creator of all things each day.

Something else amazes me too each morning. I’m not alone. There are several other people, even in the early hours, walking up and down the beach, riding bicycles, running. The thing that amazes me is that no one seems to be stopping to breath in the view. This morning my wife remarked that people are listening to music in headphones instead of the symphony of the surf. It reminds me of the significant difference in perspective and worldview.

I’m not saying that these people are bad people, they are just missing out. The longer that they stay here the less the impact of the beauty of the environment in their lives. They begin taking what they have here for granted. While I am singing “Oh, Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.” They are thinking, “Oh Lord, I’m going to be late…I have so much to do…will my marriage survive…where will I get my next fix?” Their lives are so full and marked by chaos that they can’t pause to contemplate the sunrise off the coast. A part of me wants to stand in front of one of the runners and say, “stop for a moment, and look at that.” I want to say to the waitress hurrying to the pier restaurant, “Have you looked around at what God has given you today?” I want to…but they take little notice of us as we stroll along in wonder by the water.

Wherever you are today—right now—please just pause. Whatever day you might be reading this, whatever the weather might be outside, and whatever you have on your list to do today, pause. Look to the sky and see the wonder of all that God has made.

Next time I think I will talk about the order of all the cosmos and the design in what I see around me.