My recent travels evoke a desire to share God’s splendor in his creation as seen through the pictures I took. The trip to Tilghman Island, MD and now Kona, Hawaii, have both reinforced my faith. Check out my article, Mental Health Rest, for the story of my trip to Tilghman. Now I would like to share how I saw God’s splendor in some of my snapshots of Kona.
God’s Splendor in the Sky
I can’t seem to let go of 2 AM, my second night in Kona. I woke up and had an urge to look through the windows. I lifted the blinds to see outside and found myself standing frozen in awe. Literally, I saw what appeared to be billions of stars of different sizes and brilliances! Their sparkling light show filled the entire sky. I have never in my whole life, except in the movies, seen so many stars clustered together. I ran for my iPhone and 50D Canon camera and attempted to take a picture, but to no avail. No camera could do it justice! All I could do was stand and marvel at how awe-inspiring God is.
Since I was unable to capture what I saw, I am sharing a picture taken from Keck Observatory by Andrew Richard Hara.
In Exodus 15:11 it states, “Who is like you among the gods, O LORD—glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, performing great wonders?” (NLT). His splendor was in the stars. The heavens proclaim his glory and “the skies display his craftsmanship” (Psalm 19:1, NLT). The sky that night definitely displayed his artistry and left me with an experience I will always remember.
God’s Splendor in the Sunsets
As I said earlier, I wrote an article about my visit to Tilghman Island and the magnificent sunrises and sunsets. But there is no comparison to the sunsets in Kona. I was blown away by what I saw. The exciting thing is that the beauty of the sunset wasn’t when the sun was visible. It was when it had sunk below the horizon and could no longer be seen. That is when the variations of the different colors come to life. At times they were not visible to the eye but could still be captured through the camera lens. Also, each beach had its unique presentation of colors. What more, not only did the ocean display the grand splendor of God’s sunsets, but the mountains did likewise. The radiance of the colors surrounding the mountains was a sight to behold.
God’s Splendor on the Mountain
The front of the house where I was staying faced Maunakea, a dormant volcanic mountain with an elevation of 14,000 feet. Maunakea hosts the Keck Observatory for studying the stars and is open to visitors. From my window, I could see the top of the mountain towering majestically over the clouds. Not only was it above the clouds, but the observatory was also visible. But what captivated my attention was the shadows of the clouds and the reflection of the sun when it hit the back of the mountain. When that happened, I could sense that something powerful was present.
God’s Splendor in Us
I cannot show you a picture, but I want you to consider this: like the skies, sunsets, and mountains, you too were created to be a part of God’s splendor. We are part of his handiwork as stated in Psalm 139:13-14: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (NIV).
To conclude, sometimes I forget how beautiful God’s creation is. But when I stop and focus on my surroundings and see nature doing its work, I am moved by the little details that God has woven together to display his magnificence. What about you?