The stones will cry out....

"Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness."
Psalms 96:11‭-‬13

In Luke chapter 19 Jesus rides into town on a donkey. The Pharisees were angry and shouted for Jesus to set his disciples straight because they did not believe Jesus was the promised Messiah.

Jesus' answer was interesting....

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Luke 19:40

Disclaimer: I read a most beautiful story years ago that I've never forgotten. For the life of me I can't remember nor find where or to whom I should give credit. I've even Googled bits and pieces to see if it would miraculously "pop up" to no avail. I mean no disrespect to the author of it....it's just so powerful and bears repeating.

The story went like this:

There was an open field, a great expanse of beautiful tall grass. The author said that it would be quite possible that a wild flower could spring up and bloom in the middle of that tall grass and not a single human eye would ever see it. The question was asked, "Was its beauty wasted?" And it was said, a response I've never forgotten and a response proven over and over in scripture. Plain and quite simple....No, it wasn't wasted. God saw it! God created the heavens and earth and all that is in them for HIS glory and good pleasure. The fact that we might see such beauty and share in it with great delight is not because it was created for us but because he delights in sharing it with us. And if we never see it God did and took great delight in it.

If the people did not praise him he said, "The ROCKS would cry out." Let the sea resound, the fields be jubilant, the trees sing! Let ALL creation rejoice.

I am a nature lover. I am amazed at beautiful sunrises and sunsets. I rejoice at warm sunshine on my skin, a cool breeze on a hot summer day....those wonderful red cardinals that visit at just the right times....those playful squirrels, that I'm convinced are rejoicing that the long winter has come to an end. The geese that waddle ever so slowly across a busy street while all the traffic is stopped....waiting. The birds of the air fly with confidence and worry not about their next meal. The buds on the trees. Yes, God's creation brings him great praise everyday! And if I don't see it and praise him, it already has. Far faithful than I'll ever be.

God doesn't really NEED me.

"People have sometimes thought that God created human beings because he was lonely and needed fellowship with other persons. If this were true, it would certainly mean that God is not completely independent of creation. It would mean that God would need to create persons in order to be completely happy or completely fulfilled in his personal existence."
— Wayne Grudem

Read the full article here:

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/the-gospel-depends-on-a-god-who-does-not-need-you/

I can't help but be thankful that God doesn't need me to be fulfilled. That I'm not an integral part of his joy. I would fail miserably. I simply can't grasp that he loves me because he created me...not because I have earned it or done anything to deserve it. THAT.IS.LOVE far beyond what I have the ability to comprehend.

Yes, he desires that I follow his commands and to walk in a manner worthy of the calling I received when I proclaimed him as Savior but he will not discard me when I fail. Three strikes and you're out is NOT his modus operandi.

If you know Jesus as your personal Savior you know you are changed. This is why we can't go on living life as we did when we were lost. If you have not accepted Christ as your personal Savior it's really hard to explain....but you become different......in miraculous ways!!

On this Celebration Sunday I pray you know the Savior, Jesus Christ. He created the world for his enjoyment and his good pleasure but by creating us and by placing us in his beautiful creation we get to partake in the beauty! What a gift!!

I pray you know the beauty of the Savior.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️