"The heavens are telling the glory of God; and his firmament proclaims his handiwork." — Psalm 19.1

     I went trout fishing last week. It had been a long time since I last made the time to spend a day on the river. By the end of my day I walked away from wading knee-deep in the swift, cool water of that stream refreshed and renewed; re-created if you will. I was not re-created because I caught a good number of fish (even though I actually did on this trip). I was not re-created by the knowledge that the flies that I had tied had fooled such finicky creatures as rainbow trout (although it was my flies that were used extensively on this trip). I was not re-created because I could have a tasty dinner when I went home (in fact each person in our party returned their fish to the stream unharmed). No, there was something else at work on this trip which made the difference.

     "The heavens are telling the glory of God."

     You see, a trout stream is the perfect place to reconnect with the awe and wonder of God. Everywhere you turn God is present and visible. David makes plain in Psalm 19 that everywhere we encounter God’s creation, there we hear the echo of the Creator’s glory.

     "The heavens are telling the glory of God."

     As the rays of the sun sparkled and danced off the surface of the stream, the river was telling of the wonderful beauty of our God. As the invisible wind created waves and a breeze, the creation was speaking of the power of God who is Spirit. The fish themselves speak of God’s care; their spotted camouflage blends into the river bottom to conceal them from predators looking for an easy meal. Their dimpling rises murmur of the abundant insect life which God sends on the currents to nourish their rainbow stripes. And nature sings her praise of the one who gave her wondrous variety of life. Yes,

     "The heavens are telling the glory of God."