I praise You, Lord of heaven and earth.
I extol You for all the evidences of Your love and power.
The white-winged gulls cry out their praise;
The brown pelicans boast of Your greatness;
The crow in its quest for food testifies of Your care
In supplying the daily needs of every living thing.
I praise You, Lord of ocean, sea, and sky.
The white-foamed billows tell of Your righteousness,
The pursuing waves speak of Your ceaseless love,
The restless waves tell of Your longing desire
To enfold all in Your divine embrace.
The sky shouts out the glories of Your grace,
The clouds are Your pavilion in times of storm;
They are bearers of rain to the thirsty soul.
Your voice, Lord, is heard in the murmur of the rippling river;
Its loud-toned appeal is heard in the roar of the ocean waves.
Your soft whisper to my heart is detected in the gentle breeze.
Lord, everywhere I see Your handiwork:
The urchin clinging to the rocks,
The sea anemones that wave their fronds in tide pools,
The starfish spreading its rays to gather food,
The pine with its clusters of cones outside my window.
Every living thing gives witness to the great Creator God.
I worship You, Lord, and praise You for the beauties of the earth.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
I rejoice in You, and in You I will put my trust. Amen.
_________
Elwood W. Starr, a district pastor in the Oregon Conference, wrote this at a pastors’ prayer retreat in Cannon Beach, Oregon. (Published October 8, 2009)
