“Glory be to God: for Creation!”
January 12, 2009
I recently learned that in Ethiopia, Christians sing a prayer of praise to God that worships him for the whole chronology of his mighty works. So, naturally, the call-and-response song begins with what God began with: Creation.
“Glory be to God: for Creation!”
The song continues through the narrative of God’s word, and concludes with praise for recent miracles he has performed for the country and community. But it starts at the beginning, with what we first know and see of God, and what he first gave us: his first recorded act of creative love.
It occurred to me, when I heard about this, that I’m not sure I’ve ever heard the words, “Glory be to God: for Creation” in juxtaposition before. We may thank God for a beautiful day, or for rain that was needed, or for the beauty of birdsong, or for the loveliness of a place of retreat and respite, but rarely do we put first things first in our praise to him. Rarely does our worship seem to recall, first and foremost, the creation of all that is. Is the concept too big for us to wrap our minds around? Does Creation seem too abstract a thing for us praise God for when he performs a thousand little miracles in our lives each day?
A new year often brings with it a reinvigorated prioritizing of things. Our resolutions reflect this: I will eat more healthily, I will exercise, I will spend more time with family, I will do those things I always dreamed of doing. We return to first things. Maybe it’s a good time to put the foundation back under our prayers again, too–to pray, as our Ethiopian brothers and sisters do, words of praise to God for his first act of love and provision. And maybe it’s a good time to add to that list of resolutions another priority: I will take better care of God’s Creation.
“Glory be to God: for Creation!”
Kendra Langdon Juskus is managing editor for Creation Care magazine. She lives with her husband in Illinois.
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2 Responses to ““Glory be to God: for Creation!””
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It immediately struck me when you mentioned the “recounting God’s acts from the beginning” structure of the prayer, and when you said you’re not sure you’d ever heard God given glory for creation, that both these things are included in all classical Eucharistic prayers (telling God’s story over bread and wine). About 40%-50% of the weeks out of the year, my denomination prays one of these prayers that begins, “We thank you, O God, for the goodness and love you have made known to us:
in creation,
in the calling of Israel to be your people…..” [etc]
I am suddenly feeling very grateful for this!
Viewing God as our Creator gives purpose for the very act we call worship. Down through history man has attempted to worship the created instead of the Creator which really is nothing more than self worship. When we worship the created humans feel more comfortable and in control but to worship the Creator, a being that is so far beyond our limited minds can seem overwhelming and controlling. If we worship God as Creator then we’re acknowledging that He has the right to give us the guidelines by which to live our lives. It is sort of like the maker of a car. He produces a manual which instructs on how to take care of the car, afterall who should know better than the maker. People in general don’t like to be told what to do or how to live but our Creator doesn’t do it from an attitude of control but rather from love for His created in wanting only the best for us. In Revelation 14:7 there’s an angel saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgement has come. Worship him who MADE the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” Why do we worship God? He created us. Thanks for letting me share this with you and thanks for sharing with me.