“All creatures of our God and King, / Lift up your voice and with us sing! / Alleluia, alleluia! / Thou burning sun with golden beam, / Thou silver moon with softer gleam, / O praise him, O praise him! / Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”- Verse 1
“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!”- Psalm 98:4 (NIV)
The Vivid Creatures exhibition at the Morton Arboretum showcases five larger-than-life sculptures of animals that are native to Illinois: white-tailed deer, sandhill crane, fox squirrel, brittle button snail, and blue dasher dragonfly. Heather and Fez BeGaetz created these sculptures exclusively for the Arboretum. Most significantly, the Portland-based artists are known for their large scale, immersive art.
Graceful and soaring, Cadence the sandhill crane carries the rhythm of migration and natural rhythms. In addition, Cadence bears a glowing full moon on her chest. Also, human footprints rise up the back of her legs. Hence, the footprints serve as a quiet reminder of how rhythm and nature guide our journeys. Thus, Cadence helps celebrate the vivid ways plans, animals, and people rely on each other. All creatures, lift up your voice!
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word “cadence” as the modulated and rhythmic recurrence of a sound, especially in nature. In Chapter 7 (“Faith Sees the Distant Cloud”) of his recently published book, Unbreakable Courage, Max Lucado observes that drought devastates human life. But then a season of dryness comes. Thus, Pastor Lucado exhorts, learn from the life of Elijah. Because Elijah trusted the promise more than the predicament. All creatures, lift up your voice!
Consequently, after his experience with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah issued this instruction to King Ahab: “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of heavy rain.”- 1 Kings 18:41 (NIV).
Yet, as Max phrases it, no clouds appeared in the sky. Blue as the egg of a blue jay. Elijah heard no roll of thunder. So, Pastor Lucado wonders, how do we explain Elijah’s announcement to Ahab? What exactly did the prophet hear?
Most significantly, Max found the answer in the Hebrew word translates as sound in 1 Kings 18:41. Elsewhere in Scripture, he notes, the word is translated voice. In other words, the prophet detected the voice of rain. Thus, Elijah heard God’s promise to end the drought and send showers from heaven. Certainly, the circumstances — the silent sun, blazing sky, dearth of clouds — said otherwise: “No rain is in the forecast.”
However, the promise of God, the cadence of His voice (the words God spoke to Elijah, His proven faithfulness in the prophet’s life) countered, “Pull out your umbrella.”
As a result, Elijah chose to hear the voice of God’s promise. Like Moses, Elijah “continued strong as if he could see the God that no one can see” (Hebrews 11:27, New Century Version).
Hence, Pastor Lucado wonders, what about us? Because today, even multiple times each day, we choose the message we follow. Do we:
- heed life’s circumstances, or God’s voice?
- reel from the problems, or stand on God’s promise?
In conclusion, Max offers these words of counsel and hope:
“Christ followers hear a language that others miss. Our spirit interplays with the Spirit of God. When he saves a soul, he unplugs the ears. Where others see only cloudless skies, we hear distant thunder.
The sky may be cloudless. The ground may be parched. But that does not matter; we hear the roar of a heavy rain. We hear the voice of a promise-making and promise-keeping God.”
All creatures, lift up your voice!