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O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great. -Psalm 104:24-25 NRSV
This Sunday, we are singing All Things Bright and Beautiful, a favorite hymn of the church! It was written by Mrs. Cecil Frances Alexander, who wrote several well-known hymns, including Once in Royal David’s City, There is a Green Hill Far Away, and I Bind Unto Myself Today.
Mrs. Alexander was trying to find a way to teach the Apostles’ Creed to children. This hymn focuses on describing God as “Maker of heaven and earth.”
All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.
How amazing it is to think of everything God has created! From the intricate designs on the wings of one butterfly, to the number of galaxies in the universe… what are we up to now… two trillion? From a cell seen under a microscope to a star seen through a telescope! And then there’s the mustard seed…
It’s a tiny little thing!! But apparently parable-worthy! Only 2-3 millimeters wide, yet one little seed can grow 5-6 feet, produce greens, more seeds, and a perch for birds! The seeds themselves can be ground into mustard, added into salads, dressings, and other foods, and this summer, we’ll probably consume quite a few of those seeds!
Just as the tiniest seed grows into a great big plant, there are many places in the Bible where God surprises us with a paradox. Little David wins the battle against Goliath. Mary sings that the mighty are brought low, and the humble and meek are exalted. And the ultimate paradox: God comes to earth in the form of a man and pays with his life for the wrongs we have committed, conquering death through resurrection, and as a result, we have eternal life.
Knowing that our God works in paradoxes should comfort us. What this world views as strong and powerful could never be as powerful as God. And no matter how small we feel, we are part of God’s marvelous and abundant creation, and we are loved lavishly by God, as his children.
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