Praise Him, Moon.

I could not help myself.  The day was near about done.  The sun had slipped away leaving soft colors all around.  I was on my way to the house in what has become my favorite time of the day here on the farm when I looked up and saw that full moon putting on a spectacular show in the not yet darkened sky.  Without hardly missing a beat I spoke loudly some verses of Scripture I had put to rest in my mind only a few days earlier.  "Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars!  Praise Him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!"  (Psalm 148:3-4)     

It is not hard to understand how men and women of days gone by might see such a glorious moon and speak of it in godly terms, or at least, dance for joy under its rising glow.  For this twenty-first century guy seminary trained to be orthodox in theological understanding and not to enthusiastic in worship, it was a moment of spontaneous worship which seemed as natural as both the moon and the earth.  To take the Word of the Scripture seriously is to realize that my words of praise were only joining into a stream of praise already present as the rising moon filled the sky with an expression of praise too resounding for human ears to hear.   

Ah, this Creator has put in place a marvelous work, one which not only bears the imprint of His holy hands, but one which from its inception has within it innate forms of praise.  As wonderful as it is to gather in the sanctuary with others and lifting up voices together in praise, there is something which transcends such a moment as we stand midst the creation and join in the unending praise which is sounding forth toward heaven all around us.