I picked up my first leaf this week. It has sat on my desk and is beginning to curl up from being dry, but the colors are still just as beautiful as the day it fell from the tree. It is a maple leaf that has tinges of green around the edges but is bright red in the center with very clear yellow veins running through it. It is these days of early fall when the leaves are just beginning to turn, that I enjoy picking them up and looking at them. As I understand it, the process of leaves turning colors comes from the chloroform in the leaves turning to a sugar and the coolness of temperatures turning it to red. When they are in these early stages of turning, each of the veins in the leaf are visible, like a map of a river showing all of it tributaries.
I get drawn into the details of this one leaf. The outline of each little cell, the spots on it, the little nibble here and there...and this is one leaf out of a million on this one tree out of a million. Laying there on the sidewalk in front of me like a gift. In the life of this leaf, it has breathed oxygen into our atmosphere and it has converted solar energy into power to sustain the life of a tree, and provided shelter and shade for many creatures.
So as I lovingly look at this leaf, and hold it in my hand and marvel at the intricacies and praise it for its hard work, I am feeling the love of a creator who holds me, and marvels at me, and praises me, and blesses me. Would you just pause for a moment at the wonder of creation around you and how it is all assembled to support you, AND to reflect the love of God. Consider that in our worship - personally or as a congregation - we are returning that reflection. That like the leaves, we are offering ourselves, "in praise and thanksgiving" as we say in our communion liturgy, to the glory of God.
SO pause, listen to creation around you and hear or see their song of praise!
"But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." Job 12
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Psalm 19
