For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. - Romans 1:20
Earlier this month my wife and I vacationed in the city of Vancouver, home of the 2010 Winter Olympics. It was the first time in almost 20 years of marriage that we travelled together on an airplane, the first time that I had seen the Rocky Mountains, and it was also the longest holiday we had shared in years. It was wonderful!
Though I would never normally use them in a conversation, words like "grandeur" and "majesty" came to mind as I marvelled at the rugged beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Mere photographs cannot capture or convey the scale and impact of the scenery we witnessed.
Words cannot describe the sensation of an anemone at the Vancouver Aquarium grasping my finger with its tentacles. I could have watched the playful and charming sea otters for days! We were awestruck by the inspired design of the fish, mammals, plants and terrain we encountered, from the near-microscopic jellyfish to the towering trees and yes, the majestic mountains.
We captured many of these moments with our digital camera. Although the photos do not deliver the intensity of viewing these things firsthand, hopefully they will give you a glimpse of the wonders we were honored to view. Click here to open the gallery page for a few images of God's incredible handiwork.
I simply could not gaze upon such creativity, such genius, such complexity and harmony, and think for a second that this all was the result of some cosmic accident or gradual assembly of random elements. It is too perfect to be chance. It is simply the evidence of an intelligent and loving Creator. No wonder in 1860 Charles Darwin wrote, "The sight of a feather in a peacock's tail, whenever I gaze at it, makes me feel sick!"
Yet for a long long time I missed it. I got so caught up in head-down, monotonous daily living that I ignored the grandeur that God has gifted and entrusted us with. Have you ever stopped to think about the miracle of creation and the awesome privilege we have as its stewards?
Whatever you are allowing to distract you, STOP! and look around at the glory of God. It is all around us. We have - I have - no excuse for missing it. We have - I have - no excuse for not knowing God.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world. - Psalm 19:1-4
Humorist Will Rogers once observed, "There are three kinds of men - ones that learn by reading, a few who learn by observation, and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves."
Though he has never braved a real electric fence, Larry understands the above metaphor all too well. His life is more a series of clumsy learning experiences than a polished "how-to" manual.
Remarkably, God has called Larry to share these slices of imperfection and accumulated wisdom with readers from over thirty countries around the world - those fortunate souls who prefer to learn through reading and observation.
Larry's first book, Get the Prize, was published in 2003. He is currently writing his second book, expected to be released in 2010.
He lives in Canada with his wife and four children.