I made the earth, and created humans on it. It was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded everything in them.
~ Isaiah 45:12 

I have had the privilege of working at a camp located in the mountains. What a joy it was to spend summer surrounded by the majesty of the hills and dazzling sunsets, to hear the sound of flowing creeks and the mighty thunderstorms that echo through the valley.

I have also had the privilege of working at a camp located in a more urban setting. The 40 acres were an oasis surrounded, not by mountains, but by townhouses and pavement. There weren’t many trees, and there was no creek. 

Those two camps had several things in common. 

First was the reality that God used both camps in his plan to bring young people into his kingdom. A second commonality was that on both of those camps we were surrounded by things God made.

This is a truth we cannot too quickly skip over. In an age where the lie of evolution is shouted out in every venue, the truth that God made the earth and the people on it may seem antiquated and absurd. But whatever type of camp you’ve served at, you’ve been surrounded with opportunities to point campers to the truth that God made everything we encounter. 

This verse from Isaiah teaches us that God’s mighty hand made everything—the earth, the humans on it, the sky, and everything in them. That’s pretty comprehensive. He commands it all as their Lord and Sovereign, and so we must believe that we have been designed with a particular purpose in mind. Evolution can’t fully explain the diversity we see in the trees and animals. It can’t explain why we see so many colors or taste so many flavors or even why we exist. 

Whether you are surrounded by lots of nature or by more buildings than trees, you have a canvas to paint a picture of God. He is the wonderful creator, worthy of our worship.

Whether you have a scientific mind or an artistic eye, you can see and exalt the creator who made the heavens and the earth.

Praise the one who rules it all to this day in love and power