Musical Prelude and Service Sermon

Psalm 104
I’m sure most, if not all of you, are familiar with mosaic art. It involves using coloured glass to create
beautiful images. The artist works with a variety of colours and shapes to fit together to create these
images. It is beyond me how they are able to fashion such a piece of art. The artist’s ability to see
the possibilities and the way these various pieces of glass can fit together is, for me, awe inspiring.
When I listen to today’s scripture, this piece of Psalm 104, praises the creative power of God to set
the world in motion, I experience a similar sense of awe and wonder. God takes the various pieces of
creation; the many animals and the plant life, the way the world turns and the mountains and the
seas and fits them together to create something far more beautiful than any of them would be on
their own.
Creation works because all parts of it work together. We all have our place in this creation. Remove
one element and the work of art that is creation seems a little lacking.
Now, I could use that as yet another opportunity to point to the ways we are failing to care for and
live with respect in God’s wonderful creation, but I don’t think that is or should be necessary.
Instead, I find myself moving to the point behind this Psalm; to look upon the wonder of God’s
creative power, to praise God and express our gratitude for all God has done and continues to do.
I noted last week that we can often take creation and our place within it for granted. That remains
the case. I truly believe we need to give ourselves time to stop; to take a break from the business of
our lives. To let ourselves truly contemplate the world that is around us and truly appreciate this
world we inhabit. To consider the wonder that is the diversity of life on this planet, and how it all
works together to create something truly beautiful.
Ellie and I watched a fairly new movie on Netflix the other night. It is called Sea Beast. It’s an
animated movie about humans doing battle with so-called Sea Monsters. A young girl who gets
mixed up in the goings on and ends up being the main protagonist, makes an excited comment at
one point, “The world is big, and we know very little about it.”
It’s a good point. The thing is, that statement can be said in a few different ways. It could be a
statement of concern. There are things outside our knowledge and that is dangerous and something
to be feared. What we don’t know can be a danger. Those powerful sea creatures could threaten us.
On the other hand, we can approach that statement, “the world is big and we know little,” with
excitement and wonder. There is so much to discover. There are new friends and new possibilities;
new things to learn and new ways to live our lives.
We are so often tempted to try and control all aspects of our world. We endeavour to remove the
element of risk wherever we can. And I get it. There is a good reason the engineers and decision
makers at NASA have postponed the launch of the new Artemis rocket until things are functioning
properly. There is no reason to take that risk. But, pursuing new relationships, venturing into new
places; if done with care and respect, is I believe a risk worth taking.
We live in a world of mystery and diversity. I’m afraid we all too often attempt to impose uniformity
on the world. We try to make everything fit into ready made boxes that make us feel comfortable.
We say this is the way things are supposed to be. The way they have always been.
Too frequently, we are lying to ourselves about what has always been. We ignore the history that is
before us or edit out the bits that make us uncomfortable.
We who are part of a dominant culture demand those who are different, adjust their lives to fit what
makes us comfortable. That can be cultures we are unfamiliar with. It can be a variety of gender
expressions and sexualities. It can be skin colours. All too often we have encountered something new
and tried to make it fit into a space of our making or choosing that is not part of God’s vision.
And in doing so, we diminish a little bit more the splendour of God’s creation. We attempt to remake
the wondrous mosaic fashioned by God into something that fits our own vision of what the world
should be.
God created the world in all its diversity, all its colours and shapes and sizes; all its different ways of
living in the world, to be something wondrous. We can’t know all of it. But we can praise this world.
We can stand in awe and excitement and welcome it.
All of it.
Even those pieces that don’t seem to make sense in our limited vision and understanding.
And we can trust in the wisdom and creativity of God; that God looked upon this creation, all of it
and said, “it is good.” And we can express our gratitude for this wondrous creation and all it provides
for us.
Its beauty. Its abundance. Its nurturing power.

Music provided with permission through licensing with CCLI License number
2701258 and One License # A-731789