Spring is definitely in the air. There are blooms on certain plants. The grass will soon begin to green up. And gardens will be planted. Can I encourage you to think about something?

My family lived in the upper Midwest for just over 14 years, six and a half in Indiana and seven and a half in Michigan. One thing we learned there: winter is long and harsh. And Spring is greatly appreciated.

Here’s what I want you to think about. Do you truly appreciate the beauty of the world God created for us? Do you realize what a marvelous site it is to see all that we see? After spending fourteen years where it snows often, and where the temperature can stay below freezing for months at a time, I am overjoyed by the idea that I can step outside and sit on my deck, comfortably, in the middle of winter.

I know that the heat of July and August can seem almost unbearable. My wife and I have made a pact never again to complain about the heat. When you’ve gone ten consecutive days with a high temperature below 0, your perspective will change.

Just a little over a month ago I stood outside on my front porch and observed a lunar eclipse. I’m not a scientist, so I will not seek to offer a full explanation for that phenomenon. But I was awestruck by the sight.

In the book of Romans Paul reminds us that there is ample evidence for the existence of God in nature alone. Whether it is the ocean with its breezes, or the majesty of the mountains in the fall, it is clear that there has to have been a creator. And the story of the Bible is this. That creator loves you and me so much that He has chosen to reveal Himself to us.

When you consider the vastness of the universe, that is an amazing thought. David wrote in Psalm 8, "When I consider your heavens…what is man that you are mindful of him?" Though David did not fully realize the vast nature of the heavens, he knew that they were full of wonder. And yet the God of the heavens loved him.

And that same God loves you and me. Look around at all that God has made. Then look in the mirror and remember this. When God made everything else He said, "Behold, it is good." But when He created the first human beings He said, "Behold, it is very good." The universe is great. It is a wonderful place. But God loves you and me above it all. What a wonderful thought that is!