I’ll never forget walking into the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican, looking up, and laying eyes on perhaps the most brilliant work of art ever accomplished by man. It was stunning. Michelangelo’s masterpiece fresco contains 343 figures and depicts nine Bible scenes from the book of Genesis which tell the true story of the beginnings of humanity and answer the age-old question, “What went wrong?”

I stood there for an hour, my mouth agape and my spirit in awe of this God-glorifying testimony to the beauty that emanates from the minds and hands of human beings created in the image of God and imbued with gifts that radiate when used to honor the One who made them.

Michelangelo’s works of art are beautiful, yet they pale in comparison to the works of his Creator, who created the whole earth and everything in it, and entrusted it to man to subdue, manicure, and produce more beautiful and beneficial goods using the talents He has given us.

When I think of God’s works of art, I think of hiking to the top of 14,278-foot Gray’s Peak and looking out over the stunning, alpine landscape as far as my eyes could see. I think of backpacking through the Maroon Bells in Aspen, Colorado in early fall and dwelling in God’s blissful panorama of golden forests. I think of walking on the soft, white sands of the beaches where I grew up in Sarasota, Florida, taking comfort in the calming sounds of the deceitfully-powerful waves, and watching with envy the sweet frolicking of dolphins in the blue, ocean waters.

I think of the polished beauty of Zurich, and our train ride of splendor through the Swiss Alps, through Lake Cuomo, Italy, and into the picturesque charm of the Cinque Terra on Italy’s west coast. I recall the magnificent diversity and solemnity of walking among creatures great and small in their own natural habitat in eastern Uganda. And I feel a warmth come over me as I consider the radiant splendor of sunsets too gorgeous for words, as if God playfully tossed rays of orange and red brilliance all over the sky just to watch us marvel. I also imagine His works of art that I have yet to see – the Grand Canyon, the Serengeti, the Northern Lights, and the Great Barrier Reef, just to name a few.

These are only a few of God’s works of art on this planet. Have you seen what He’s got going on in outer space? It’s extraordinary, and yet even the most informed scientists in the world have seen but a drop in His infinite bucket of creativity. Oh LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!1 The heavens truly do declare Your glory, and the sky above proclaims Your handiwork.2

If we can see and appreciate all of this now, how much more will we marvel on the New Earth, when we are not limited by depraved minds, broken bodies, and a fallen world?3 For those who love God, who are called according to His purpose, not only the entire earth, but the whole world will one day be our playground!4

And what will be missing? Fear, anxiety, loneliness, discontentment, strife, poverty, injury, malady, death, and anything else that prevents us from fully enjoying all that we stand to inherit from the Lord Himself.5

For I am convinced that the New Earth will be teeming with beauty unparalleled and ubiquitous, and we will experience this glory with new eyes and a renewed mind, with our redeemed family in the Lord, and most significantly, with our Lord Himself.6

For He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?!7 Therefore, let us persevere, not hindered by fear or lies or trouble or any other discouragement.8 For our Lord Himself is anticipating our homecoming, and the best is yet to come!9

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved…. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified…. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~Romans 8:18-25, 30, 38-39, ESV

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[1] Psalm 8:9; All Bible quotes are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted

[2] Psalm 19:1

[3] Romans 8:18-25; Revelation 21:1-8

[4] Romans 8:18-25; Revelation 21-22

[5] Revelation 21:1-8, especially v. 4

[6] 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; 1 Corinthians 13:8-12

[7] Romans 8:32

[8] Hebrews 12:1-3

[9] John 14:1-2