All I have is Christ

This song is singable, and yet deep. I like!

The True One/ It’s not about you

Comforting and humbling at the same time:

Planet Earth: Part 4

Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

For this is what the LORD says— he who created the heavens, he is God;
he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it;
he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited—he says:
“I am the LORD, and there is no other.

Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.

-Isaiah 40:28, Isaiah 45:18, Psalm 72:19

In this the final installment are my favourite shots from episodes 10 and 11:

Planet Earth: Part 3

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears all nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; his hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise, the morning light, the lily white, declare their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world, he shines in all that’s fair; in the rustling grass I hear him pass; he speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King; let the heavens ring! God reigns; let the earth be glad!

-Maltbie Davenport Babcock, 1901

Here’s the third dose of Planet Earth images, from episodes 7, 8 and 9.

Planet Earth: Part 2

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels Heav’n can boast.

All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.

–17th century German hymn

I’m short on blogging ideas and blogging time, so my solution is to stretch out the sole idea I have into a series. Here are my favourite shots from episodes 4, 5, and 6 of Planet Earth.

Planet Earth

Way back in July on insufferably hot consecutive afternoons, I watched BBC’s Planet Earth, a series of documentaries that originally aired in Britain in 2006. It is near impossible to describe Planet Earth without using superlatives. (As of this writing, 1849 of 2245 reviews on Amazon.com are 5-star reviews.) If you’re not captivated by the subject matter, or blown away by the phenomenal photography, or struck by the lengths the producers and crew went to in order to get the images, check your pulse. It must be very, very, weak.

For the thinking Christian, there is an extra layer to reckon with. As I was watching, I wondered how the psalmists could compose such magnificent songs of praise to God for His wonderful creation when all they had seen was their dusty corner of the planet. Reflecting on it, I realised that the psalmists not only saw the stars and hills and trees, but they looked beyond and saw the God who created the stars and hills and trees, as well as had a personal relationship with Him.

I have the privilege of seeing a whole lot more of God’s creative work than David, Asaph and the rest. I also have the immense privilege of being in relationship with the very same God they served. How much more should I, after having watched Planet Earth, give praise and glory to the Creator of all things?

Here are my favourite images from the first 3 episodes of the series:

African elephant, snow leopard, wildebeeste

Episode 1, From Pole to Pole: On the left is an elephant swimming in the Okavango. The herd of elephants had been trekking for hundreds of kilometres to find water during the dry season. When they found it, they all plunged in and had a joyfully playful swim. (They’re quite agile in water too!)

Episode 2, Mountains: In the middle are two snow leopards in the Himalayas. The mother (the one behind) is licking her cub (who’s almost as big as her) on returning to the den. Check out that tail!

Episode 3: Fresh Water:On the right is a herd of wildebeeste taking a break during their annual migration between Kenya and Tanzania. Crocodiles in the water are patiently waiting for the right moment to strike.