by Rev Donald Schatz

Let Them Be Glad.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of islands be glad.”
Psalm 97:1, King James Version

The Farallon Islands, 26 miles off the coast of California from San Francisco, do not always show themselves.  On a drive along Highway 1, near Stinson Beach a couple days after Christmas some years ago, we came upon a small park at the top of a cliff.  We stopped as the sun began to set.  Within 15 minutes, the parking lot was full.  They were all locals who came racing to the overlook to see the Islands.  That’s when we learned of the Islands, a wildlife sanctuary, which only very rarely appeared out of the fog and sea-top mists.

Farallon Islands, California

We found ourselves in the midst of an impromptu party.  People were celebrating the beauty of God’s creation, though we did not hear one person speak that kind of language.  I snapped over 30 pictures of the sun setting from that vantage point.  I even saw the famed ‘green light’, of “Pirates of the Caribbean’ fame, through the view finder of my old digital camera.

God is good, and that is reflected in his creation.  The Lord reigns, and in days when there seems to be so much devastation from natural disasters it’s nice to be reminded of that.  Let the earth rejoice!  Let the multitude of islands be glad.

I’ve been on many islands over the years of my life.  I like the remote feeling, that get-away-from-it-all feeling of riding a ferry to a spot in the water and quieting down my life for a bit.  Sometimes it’s only for a few hours.  “The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice!”, and the people of the Earth rejoice right along with it.

Wherever today finds you, join the Earth, rejoice in the Lord’s reign.  Lead the Earth’s chorus of praise!  He reigns in your life.  He reigns for your life.  He reigns for you.  Always for you.  Let the multitude of islands be glad.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO