Lesson: Creation

Oh, Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder

Consider all the worlds thy hands have made,

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy pow’r thruout the universe displayed;

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee,

How great thou art! How great thou art!

When thru the woods and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze,
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee,
How great thou art! How great thou art!
(“How Great Thou Art,” Hymns, no. 86)

This is one of my favorite hymns! Who of us has not felt to give thanks for the beauties of this earth? I cannot look at a brilliant sunrise or sunset without feeling awe.

We are so blessed to have this earth, created for us, where we could learn and experience and progress, so that we can return to our Heavenly Father and Mother. We will probably never understand, in this lifetime, just how it all was created, and the timing of things and all that. But this much we can know: The earth was created by Jesus Christ, by the power of the Melchizedek Priesthood, under the direction of God, the Father. It was created for us. And God said it was good.

We can have experiences with creation in our own life. We can use our creative talents in writing, art and music and create something new of our own. But every day we also are creating a better (or not) self. Hopefully we are growing, learning, and becoming more. We can also create happiness in others (or not).

One of the greatest experiences I have had with creation was my opportunity to be a mom. What a joy to be able to be a co-creator with Father in Heaven in creating a tabernacle for the spirits entrusted to our family.

"Motherhood is the one thing in all the world which most truly exemplifies the God-given virtues of creating and sacrificing. The mother who, in compliance with eternal law, brings into the world an immortal spirit occupies first rank in the realm of creation."
--Gospel Ideals, "Respect for Mothers and Their Divine Role", Improvement Era, 1953], p.456 & Aaronic Priesthood Manual #1 (the lesson on Mothers).

May we all have greater gratitude for the blessing of the creation in our lives. Let us seek to create joy, enjoy all we have been given, develop our talents, and create loving lasting relationships with our eternal family and so fulfill the measure of our creation!