Your Backyard Is a Cathedral

Hey, Carpool Crew! I hope you had a great weekend and a happy Fourth. Quick question. Have you ever stood in your own backyard, a place you've seen a thousand times, and felt like there was nothing new to see? I'm Pastor Justin, and before we jump in, so glad you're with us today. Here's something most kids never notice. The most amazing thing around you might be what you walk past every day. So this week we're slowing down to look. Here's the one thing I want you to remember for the ride: creation is always pointing to God, even in your own backyard. Listen to this from Psalm 19:1. David writes, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of His hands." To declare something means to announce it out loud. And the expanse is the huge wide sky over your head. David is saying the sky shouts about how great God is. Have you ever been in a cathedral? It's a giant, beautiful building made for worshiping God, with ceilings so high you tip your head back and go, whoa. Here's the cool part. The sky over your backyard is bigger than any building people could make. God built you a cathedral, and the roof is the stars. If Jesus were lying on the grass next to you, He would point at the sky and say, "My Father made every one of those, and He knows them by name. He made all of it on purpose, for you to enjoy." It's a warm summer night and you flop back on the trampoline. You look up, and at first you see a few stars. But the longer you lie there, the more show up. Ten turns into a hundred, into too many to count. And it hits you. Somebody made all of those. The same Somebody who made you. Your backyard just turned into the biggest church you've ever been in. This week, here are a few things to try. First, go outside and find one thing you've never really looked at, a leaf, a bug, a cloud, and say, "God, You made that." Second, tonight, look up at the sky for one whole minute, no screen. Third, a heart one. Instead of rushing past your backyard like it's boring, let it remind you that Someone made all of this on purpose, for you. Hey, let's go back to that one thing for the ride. Creation is always pointing to God, even in your own backyard. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And hey, Carpool Crew, need something fun to talk about on the drive? We've got a deck of conversation starter cards at carpoolingwithjesus.com. Pull one, read it out loud, and see where it takes your family. And if your family wants the weekend episodes too, they're waiting in Carpooling with Jesus+, right in the app you're already using. Hey, before you go, let's answer this question together. What's one thing right in your own backyard or neighborhood that makes you think about God? I love you, Carpool Crew. I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.