“So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45)

Our Creator distilled light from darkness, designed massive Mt. Everest and miniature ladybugs, and provided us a world packed with an endless panorama of perfection. Contemplating his creation presents us superb opportunities to understand our pivotal role as his children. Struck by his extravagant ways, we realize that everything from raindrops to desert sands is numberless, that incalculable reservoirs of minerals lay beneath the surfaces of earth and ocean floor. As his image‐bearers, his generosity should propel us toward similar acts of generosity. Our Father’s kindness should make our own arms overflow as well.

The Lord’s mercy dispenses rainfall and sunshine in equal measure on the deserving and undeserving. To live with mercy as our hallmark is to mimic him. Since the Father leans forward to hear and answer prayer, to respond mercifully to a sinful people, we must also make compassion one of our primary characteristics.

Watch a snowstorm pelting sidewalks, hail hammering from heaven, or waterfalls cascading over rocky terrains. If the Lord God infuses nature with such force -­ if he himself is distinguished by the name Almighty -­ we can trust that he is more than capable of bringing order into the circumstances swirling around us.

As we consider the greatness of his character, the limitless scope of his creation, the effortless manner in which he sustains oceans deep and galaxies wide, let us walk worthy of him, striving to imitate his goodness and mercy wherever we happen to go.