Another day in paradise

 

A glorious morning again. My dad used to greet every morning with the words, ‘Another day in Paradise’. Admittedly, Southern California weather and beauty were pretty alluring, but those words echoed in my mind today as I wrote that first sentence. A glorious morning. I can truthfully look out my windows and breathe with thanksgiving, ‘another day in Paradise’.

God’s created masterpiece was once a truly unspoilt paradise, and even though we have so degraded and altered it, many places in the world still reflect the beauty and glory of the creator. The rural landscape surrounding my home is one of them.

I remember realising the power of the word ‘breath-taking’ when I visited the Grand Canyon. No photograph prepared me for that moment of awe, which did take my breath away. The living beauties of the Great Barrier Reef form one of the most awesome memories of my life. I am so grateful to have experienced both of these masterpieces of God’s creation.

I breathe deep and exhale a paean of praise to our Saviour Jesus. ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.’

Today I am so thankful for the gift of another day in paradise, and I look forward to an eternity in paradise in all its fullness and perfection, when every tear will be dried and there will be no more pain or death, disease or war, violence or hatred. I stand on the promise that one day this will be true, and in the meantime, I am grateful for the life I have now, its challenges offering opportunities for me to watch God at work.