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I had a group of very small children to try and help them prepare for their harvest activities. It was a kind of introduction to a series of lessons which they would have in Sunday School about celebrating harvest. I had to try and lift the sights of very modern children who thought that you get milk from a bottle and food from the supermarket; you open tins, you get fresh vegetables from cellophane packed boxes, and water is always on tap. We looked at Psalm 104 and encouraged them to join in with some sound effects, marked with * in the script, so you can imagine where they were supposed to come in and clap God for his greatness. As the leader was to say something like :- 'God you are wonderful. Your robes are sunshine.The vastness of space is your tent, which you can pack up and move on. Your home is deeper than the seas Your transport is clouds. You ride on the wind*: ire is your slave. You made your garden out of mountains, and the oceans your garden ponds. As you formed them, earthquakes, lightning* exploded, and then it was all beautiful, teeming with life. Rivers flowed, all life flourished. Wild donkeys brayed their praise* (that was an easy sound effect),birds nested in the reeds and sang in the branches of the trees* (a bit harder) . You made water rain down for grass and plants, and then the cattle ate the grass*. Men and women gathered grain to make bread. The storks made nests at the top of beautifully tall trees. You gave fruit, like grapes, which cheer us up. Wild goats shout on the mountains* Badgers live among the wet rocks*. The sun goes down: the moon comes up, and lions roar* as they hunt. Daylight again and they creep into their dens, and people get up to go to work.
The earth is full of your wonders. So are the deep wide seas, brimming with fish, sardines and salmon, sharks and ships. You give them all life and keep it going every moment all life is your breath. You point a finger and volcanoes erupt - the earth quakes. You hold up your hand and it's all peaceful (pause). All this is yours, Lord God, it all fits together. You run it. You gave your children the gift of music - they can sing*. They can think. God, you are wonderful.'
Then they all were to shout the great Hebrew word which everyone knows and which in one word means three of ours - "Praise the Lord", it is Hallelujah.
Here's how the Psalm ends:
I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord. Psalm 104: 33-34
Confession: I've got to come clean. Those normally rowdy children listened, and didn't attempt a single sound effect: they didn't make a single sound ... 'till afterwards. Ah well!!
A Prayer:
Almighty Father, we pray for the teachers of children all over the world, give them the gift of arousing enthusiasm in young minds for this wonderful world.
Now read Psalm 104.
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