The whole creation declares the praises of God! Angels praise him, so do the sun, moon and stars, and the highest heavens, and the water of the atmosphere above. The sea creatures praise the Lord, the depths of the ocean, the lightning, hail, snow, clouds, stormy winds, mountains, hills, fruit trees, cedars, wild animals, cattle, small creatures, flying birds, kings of the earth, all nations, princes, rulers, young men, young women, old people and children. Psalm 148 reaches its glorious conclusion with the words: "Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens….Praise the Lord."

David wrote in Psalm 19 that "the heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heart. Their voice goes out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." (Psalm 19:1-4)

He also wrote that when he considered the heavens, the moon, the stars, he was humbled and amazed that God would be mindful of man and make him a little lower than the angels. (Psalm 8:3-5).

Francis of Assisi once preached the gospel to four birds and told them to go out and declare the praise of their Maker. The story goes that the four birds flew out in four different directions. That sounds a little strange. But perhaps Francis was thinking of Scriptures like the ones quoted above. The creation does declare the glory and praise of God. Paul wrote that it argues for the eternal power and divinity of its creation (Romans 1:20)

Francis liked to look at a flower, for in it he saw the wisdom of its designer. He saw the clear testimony of a creator who possessed power, intelligence, beauty, and purpose. The flowers, the birds, the heavens, the storms, the fish and animals all exist as testimonies to their Maker. In a very real sense they all praise their Creator. (By the way, think of Francis and what he learned from creation the next time you sing his beautiful hymn: "All Creatures of Our God and King.")

Just as David considered the heavens and learned a lesson about how God cared for man, so our Lord directs us to consider the birds of the air and the lilies of the field (Matthew 6:28). Even Solomon in his splendor can't compare with the glory of one lily! And Jesus' makes the same case that David does. Why are you worrying about what you are going to eat, drink, or wear? If God will care for birds and lilies, what makes us think that he won't care for us, who are far more important and precious in his sight: we who are his adopted children through Christ?

It is good to stop and consider the smallest things in God's creation. They will teach us much about God. But they will also teach us much about who we are and what God will do for us.