All Creation Praises The Lord

There Goes That Leviathan

Wolf Point in the Keweenaw Peninsula; 

taken years ago on a Sabbatical as I paddled about half

of the southern shore of Lake Superior.

Much calmer seas that day.

O Lord, how manifold are your works!
   In wisdom you have made them all;
   the earth is full of your creatures.
Yonder is the sea, great and wide,
   creeping things innumerable are there,
   living things both small and great.
There go the ships,

   and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it. 

                                         Psalm 104:24-26 NRSV

Well there goes that Leviathan...  In over twenty-two years of preaching, I had never managed to include Leviathan in a sermon, until a couple of weeks ago. I figured it was about time since my retirement from the pulpit is coming quickly.   

The awesomeness of God's creating activities and His playing with Leviathan according to this psalm, reminds me of my first kayak trip on Lake Superior.    

It was a four day journey from Big Bay to Marquette with a group of clergy. Big Bay is only about twenty-five to thirty miles from Marquette, so it wasn't going to be a hard paddle. Except... three out of the four days we were paddling with small craft warnings.  Now, those were some waves! Leviathan was considered more than once!  We had to actually paddle quite a ways from the shoreline where the waves were more rolling than crashing so that we could ride them.  The closer to shore, the more threatening the water.  It was actually pretty awesome!  I remember Pr. Peter Vorhes riding the waves in front of me, singing hymns!  Now that was really awesome!  Especially, since he has such a fantastic voice.  "O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the works thy hands hath made..."

Was I afraid?  I hate to admit it; as abnormal as it might seem to some people, I was not afraid.  The wind and rain and waves were so great that it took all of my concentration to ride the waves much like a surfer would do.  There was no time to be afraid.  At one point, there was a long narrow peninsula we had to go around.  Not far from the end of this peninsula was a small rock island.  To get around this peninsula and the island, where the wave action was pretty fierce, we would have had to paddle a very long ways out... So, we chose to go between the little rocky island and the peninsula point, where the waves were bouncing off the island and crashing into the waves as they had bounced back from the little island.  It was wild in there. We went through two by two.  It only took about five minutes to get through; a ride of a life-time.  Pr. Peter was only a couple yards away from me, but there were moments when he and his kayak disappeared from my sight completely as huge waves came up between us.  I still cannot help but smile.  When we made it through to slightly calmer seas; Pr. Peter, smiling, yelled at me through the storm, "let's do it, again!"

Playing with Leviathan...

That reminds me of another story... When my own children were young, I tried to get them to go canoeing with me on the New River in NC. I told them I was going to try to photograph some alligators.  I realized then that is not the way to try to get someone to go paddling with you. It took quite a bit of convincing to get them to go with me. Alligators and Leviathan should usually be left out of the conversation if you would like anyone to join you on  the water!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Leviathan

 Huron Bay the last time Cassie and I went Kayaking together

"In that day, the Lord will punish with his sword—his fierce, great and powerful sword—Leviathan  the gliding serpent,  Leviathan the coiling serpent; he will slay the monster of the sea." (Isa 27:1 NIV)
 

Leviathan, the great sea monster, is mentioned a few times in Scripture. In addition to Isaiah 27, you can find mention of Leviathan in Job 3:8, Job 41:1, Job 41:12, Psalm 74:14, and Psalm 104:26.

 

On the rare occasions that I've found myself out on the lake in the midst of a storm I've thought of God overpowering Leviathan. OK - so they are not rare occasions. It seems like the wind picks up almost every time I am out on a boat (big or small) on a large mass of water. I actually warn people that they should not take me fishing unless they want a storm or their motor to conk out... Others should not take me out with them if they don't want to play with Leviathan, or maybe it's God, out in the middle of the water. I don't mind the storms. I know that the LORD is with me, even in the storms. The rushing wind reminds me of the power of the Holy Spirit. God is big enough to destroy Leviathan. He is big enough to protect me, if that is His will. But, if I'm not up to another storm, I stay as close to home as I can with my kayak...

 

Symbolically, the sea refers to a large number of people. So, for those of you who are big into the Revelation of John, the dragon that comes out of the sea in the book of Revelation most probably refers to the fact that the evil one will come from among the people. "The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name." (Rev 13:1) We are not looking for a literal dragon to come out of a literal sea, but an evil that comes from the midst of the people. Revelation is filled with symbolism. Please, do not take it literally.

 

The picture of the evil one may be a bit alarming; but, remember the promise found in Isaiah today: The LORD will slay the evil one in the midst of the people. There may be times when things seem just awful. There may be times when your leviathan decides it's time to play with you. But, know this: the LORD will surely rescue His people. He is our very help in the time of trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Awesome God! Awesome Creator!

How many are your works, Lord!
    In wisdom you made them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures.
There is the sea, vast and spacious,
    teeming with creatures beyond number—
    living things both large and small.
There the ships go to and fro,
    and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.

Psalm 104:24-26 NIV

Sunrise, seems to me, to be the best time at the Beach. It is not too hot. It is not too crowded. There is lots of room for children to run along the shore. The shore is teeming with little creatures as well as various birds. Although, we cannot see them, the waters, vast and spacious are teeming with creatures beyond number; all created by God.

Let us give thanks for all the works of God for they are marvelous to behold.

God's Peace - Pr. J

All Creatures Fed

Alligator in Bulow Creek

There is the sea, vast and spacious,
    teeming with creatures beyond number—
 living things both large and small.
There the ships go to and fro,
    and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.

All creatures look to you
    to give them their food at the proper time.

Psalm 104:25-27 NIV

Can you imagine? By His Word all things were created, both large and small. The waters are filled with creatures created by Him. Some so small that a microscope is needed in order to see them. Some creatures are not so small. Some are most docile. Others are more dangerous to humankind. But, God created them all. He has, in place, a plan that all should be fed.

Most of us know enough not to get so close to some species that they might feast on us. But, His plan to feed the hungry and homeless most probably includes us. If you love Him, feed His sheep.

God's Peace - Pr. J