Home on the Lord's Day from a long weekend in Knoxville and Dayton, TN. Happy to be resting in the Creator, and meditating on the abundant evidence of His goodness, beauty, and truth which He trumpets day by day through the things He has made.

One observation in particular has captured my imagination and will guide my meditations today. Outside the hotel where I stayed in Knoxville was a gnarled tree, lovely in its decrepitude. On one face of the trunk was a natural formation - a gash or spread in the bark - that looked for all the world like a peacock - perfect body, legs, neck, head turned backward as if to admire himself as one of God's truly glorious creatures. How odd, I thought. I've never seen a more perfect natural representation (and remember, I'm the guy who looks for stones in the shape of the 50 states, and I've found lots).

The peacock in the tree spoke to me of the unity of creation and set my mind to thinking about the Christian's environmental responsibility. We are called to be good stewards of the earth, to exercise dominion over it in such a way that its full resources come to their good and glorious potential. The creation is all of a piece, a unified tapestry of glory in which the Lord has stitched His signature and stamped His character for every eye to see. But we need to look carefully, think deeply, and meditate before the Lord of all Creation, that He might make the message of His glory clear to our souls.

The Exodus giving of the Law exhorts us to remember the Lord as Creator on His Day. Rather than give your day over to the getting-and-spending of pro sports, why not stroll through your yard, looking and listening for the Lord to draw you into His glory through the things He has made? Oh, the warmth of love and assurance you can know! And oh what lovely words of thanks and praise the Spirit can engender within you. The world ignores the voice of God graciously speaking to them through His creation; we must not. There's a peacock in the tree in your yard, or at least, the equivalent thereof. Let him whisper to you of the steadfast love of the Lord.

T. M. Moore