If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you still have a few weeks to point your children to God’s glory in the changing season. The leaves turning and falling and the cooler days with fewer hours of daylight point to God’s glory in His creation and His faithfulness in all seasons.
Here are three simple ways to point your children to God's glory in Autumn:
1. Take a Praise Walk
Read Psalm 148 together and notice everything in it that praises the Lord.
For example, note verses 7 to 10:
[7] Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
[8] fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!
[9] Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
[10] Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds! (Psalm 148:7–10 ESV)
Head to a nearby park or trail. As you walk, invite your children to look, listen, smell, and touch: crunching leaves, the cool air, the smell of woodsmoke, a squirrel gathering acorns. Then turn what you notice into praise: “Praise the Lord, you scampering squirrel! Praise Him, you red maple!... etc.”
2. Look to the Starry Skies
Earlier sunsets mean the stars are out before bedtime, so autumn is a great time to see God's glory in the night sky.
Memorize Psalm 19:1–4 together:
[1] The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
[2] Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
[3] There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
[4] Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world. (Psalm 19:1-4a ESV)
On a clear night, bundle up, step outside, and recite the verses out loud together while looking up at the stars.
3. Worship in Song
Gather colorful leaves, acorns, pinecones, and other treasures from your time outside, and spread them out on the kitchen table. As you look them over, sing a verse from one of these hymns that praise God for His work in creation:
-
“This Is My Father’s World” (Maltbie D. Babcock)
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.
-
“Great Is Thy Faithfulness” (Thomas O. Chisholm)
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.
May this be a rich time of the year for your family to see and proclaim God's glory in His creation.
