My handwriting can be challenging to read – at least that is what I am told. Most everyone who has to read what I write has something to say. When I was working on my undergraduate degree (many years ago), I had a professor that wanted everything handwritten. So I wrote a paper as she asked. I worked hard to make sure it was neat. She had a meeting with me. According to her, my handwriting was neat but it looked as if it was in a different language. To figure out what it said was too much. She would be making an exception for me – I was to type everything. That may have been a sign.
Over the years, I have typed most everything. I can type way faster than I can write by hand. When I write a note to someone, either my co-workers or Wendy will ask me if it was legible (as if I wasn’t trying to make it legible). The interesting thing to me is that, for the most part, my handwriting is completely fine. As long as I am not in a rush, it looks clean and neat in my eyes. I don’t see a problem with it. And I have a hard time understanding why others think it is so bad. But it is, after all, my own handwriting. I only question myself when I can’t even read it.
What does this have to do with anything? I see God’s creation as his own personal handwriting. He signed his name to the goodness of this earth with majesty. He continues to write new stories and produce new works that are beyond our imagination. We don’t always understand because it isn’t our handwriting. It can be difficult to translate because it may be unfamiliar to us. I like to think of creation as a love letter from God that we don’t always understand because we don’t understand the writing. We see familiar while the story is really extraordinary. We see a jumbled mess when God sees a beautifully constructed poem. We just don’t know how to read the story.
Maybe we take a step back today and listen to the story that God is telling with his creation. What is he helping us to understand? What is he reminding us of today? How is he filling our lives with a love story that we might be missing? Maybe it is time to start reading his handwriting.
Focus Scripture:
Psalm 19:1-4
The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery. Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery
SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY 