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On January 1, my wife, daughter, and I were invited to the Vancouver Aquarium. We saw so many creatures: fish, otters, sea lions, sharks, seals, jelly fish, frogs, and many others. The diversity is astonishing.

Many of us begin the year with a new Bible reading schedule. For those of us who read through the Bible in a year, we usually start in Genesis.

Genesis begins with the six-day account of creation. God speaks the heavens, the earth, and all living creatures into existence. On day five, we read in Genesis 1:20-23

And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

Christians may disagree on the interpretation of Genesis 1, but all of us agree that the world God created is stunning. When my family walked past the different pools and exhibits at the Aquarium, it was impossible not to offer praise to God.

If you’re like me, it’s too easy to forget the beauty of creation around us. Each day, we see mountains, forests, grasses, coastline, rocks, seashells, birds, fish, insects, cats, dogs, and many other examples of God’s glorious creation. Sometimes, we are so busy or so focused on our daily routines we forget to pause and look around us.

Today, I invite you to go to the window nearest you. Look out upon the scene in front of you and pause. It might be another building. It might be a yard. It might be a tree. It might be a neighbour walking a dog. It might be a bird. It might be a glimpse of the coastal mountains. It might be a passer-by. Today, give praise to God for the wonder of creation. Our God is the creator God. And his creation displays his glory. Let us thank him.

視頻大意翻譯 (video Chinese translation):

嗨! 

1月1日，一位朋友邀請我、我太太和女兒去溫哥華水族館。這是次美妙的經歷。我們看到了很多生物：魚、水獺、海獅、鯊魚、海豹、水母、青蛙等等。它的多樣性令人震驚。創造的優雅也令人震驚。

我們許多人以新的讀經時程開始新的一年。對於我們在一年內讀完整本聖經的人，通常我們從創世記開始。

創世記從六天的創造記述開始。神讓天、地和所有生物都存在。第五天，讓我們讀創世記 1：20-23

神說、水要多多滋生有生命的物．要有雀鳥飛在地面以上、天空之中。神就造出大魚、和水中所滋生各樣有生命的動物、各從其類．又造出各樣飛鳥、各從其類．　神看着是好的。神就賜福給這一切、說、滋生繁多、充滿海中的水．雀鳥也要多生在地上。有晚上、有早晨、是第五日。

基督徒可能不同意創世記第一章的解釋，但我們都同意神創造的世界是令人驚歎的。當我一家人走在水族館的不同水池和展覽之間時，不可能不讚美上帝。

如果你和我一樣，很容易忘記我們周圍美麗的創造。每天，我們都會看到山脈、森林、草地、海岸線、岩石、貝殼、鳥類、魚類、昆蟲、貓、狗，以及神榮耀創造的許多其他例子。有時，我們太忙或太專注於我們的日常生活，以至於忘記停下來環顧四周。

今天，就是現在，我邀請您到離您最近的窗戶。看著眼前的景象，然後停下來。可能是另一棟建築，可能是個院子，可能是一棵樹，可能是遛狗的鄰居，可能是一隻鳥，可能是沿海山脈的一瞥，也可能是路人。我們每天都能看到這些 – 甚或更多。今天，讚美上帝創造的奇妙。我們的上帝是造物主神。他的創造展示了他的榮耀。讓我們感謝他。

讓我們禱告。

Grace and peace

Pastor Callum