Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre.
He covers the heavens with clouds,
prepares rain for the earth,
makes grass grow on the hills.
He gives to the animals their food,
and to the young ravens when they cry.”
NL Daily Devotion for Monday, February 21, 2022
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
I love nature imagery in the Bible. Seldom does it show up without connection to joy. Creation praises God. God’s ongoing creation is met with thanksgiving by the people. The writers of these passages understood on a deep level the interconnectedness of nature, and the complete reliance of humanity on its health. The Israelites were unusual at the time because they didn’t worship nature itself, or gods that were manifestations of nature. But they worshiped the God who created all things and they understood that God had called them to live in harmony with the earth.
It’s so sad that this deep understanding got lost along the way. Humans used—and continues to use—tiny scraps of scripture to justify the mass destruction of God’s creation and live in complete denial of their impact.
How can anyone read this and not see the mother raven nurturing her young and know that God’s fierce love is for everything, not just us?
What is my favorite nature-related passage in the Bible? Why?