Nature Shines With Beauty
Lyrics
Nature shines with beauty,
bringing us a revelation
of the Maker's glory,
leading us in adoration.
O God who made the stars
and formed us from the dust,
your plans are over ours
and all your ways are love.
Nature groans in labour,
longing for the revelation
of the Maker's children
on the day of liberation
© 2020 Chris Juby / Resound Worship
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This was one of my most profound moments of revelation as we wrote songs for the Resound Worship 'Doxecology' album.
I was puzzling over the passage in Romans 8 that starts "the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed" (v19-22). As I studied and sang melodies from the text, I saw a beautiful parallel between the testimony of the Psalms that creation proclaims the glory of God and the way creation is described here as looking to us for a glimpse of the glory to come. There's a sense in which we and the rest of creation lead one another in worship.
As this song took shape, the revelation deepened for me. We are the ones who caused the Fall and (in the words of Romans 8) subjected the rest of creation to frustration. There's every reason why we should be a depressing sign of everything that has been lost to our fellow creatures. But God's ways are so much higher and his mercy so much deeper. Instead of a sign of despair, he has made us a sign of hope for redemption. Our new life in Christ gives a glimpse of everything that will be gained.
The song doesn't really fully explain itself, so I wasn't sure whether it would be appropriate for the album. But the rest of the team loved it. And I couldn't be happier with the arrangement Matt Weeks orchestrated and the vocals by Gemma Scharnowski.
I hope that listening to it gives a glimpse of what I saw as I wrote it.
