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Glistening Webs: Seeing the Glory of God in Creation

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When Jonathan Edwards (1703-58) was just twenty years old, he submitted a letter to the Royal Society of London about the common spider. It was a brief summary of scientific observations which he hoped would be published in the prestigious journal, Philosophical Transactions. It was not. However, the letter was preserved and has come to be known as “The Spider Letter.” 

Edwards’ scientific observations are not very impressive, but his ability to see the glory of God in such a common insect and to articulate that glory with vividness and joy is impressive indeed. It is inspiring. It is instructive. For example, after cataloguing some of the particular movements of the spider, Edwards notes, “Hence [we see] the exuberant goodness of the Creator, who hath not only provided for all the necessities, but also for the pleasure and recreation of all sorts of creatures, even insects” (John E. Smith, et al., eds., A Jonathan Edwards reader, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1995, page 5). 

Like you, I have seen many spiders but I have never noticed the bounty of God in providing for them or the “exuberant goodness” of God in affording them the time, ability, and desire to play! My eyes of have looked upon these insects but they have been blind to glory of God in them. They have more often been irritated than inspired, but Edwards has shown me a better way. 

Edwards concludes his brief letter by requesting permission to submit a more detailed account of this little creature, “from whose glistening webs so much of the wisdom of the Creator shines” (page 8). That sentence is worth pondering, for we know that God created the heavens and the earth to display his glory (Genesis 1-2). We know that “the heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” (Psalm 19:1-2). We have heard that the angels of heaven say, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3) We have been taught that “by faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible” (Hebrews 11:3). 

We know by the Word of God that the glory of God is vividly displayed in all of creation but the question is this: do we have eyes to see and hearts to praise God for what we see? This is the first in a series of articles designed to help us see the glory of God in creation that we might prize and praise him and grow in faith. For this week I give you this challenge: pick one thing in creation and ask God to reveal to you his glory in it. When he does, note what you see, praise Him for what you see, and help someone else praise Him with you!

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