Encountering God: Iceland

Iceland 

Iceland is a naturalist’s paradise. It is a land flowing with power, beauty, and majesty. Bob Ross used to say that God was having a good day when he made Alaska. I feel this also applies to Iceland. Though the name sounds like a frozen wasteland it is abounding with life and creation. Volcanoes, glaciers, towering fjords, popping mud flats, and northern lights canvas the landscape. Iceland is full of forces that are opposites yet work in tandem to create a unique landscape. God was certainly having a good day when he made Iceland. 

I think of Psalm 29 when I think of Iceland. It is a psalm of praise that starts with the “mighty ones” worshiping God. These “mighty ones” are spiritual beings who acknowledge that God is Creator and deserves to be praised. This psalm highlights the voice and pure strength of God’s words and actions. God spoke creation into being. He did not struggle to make it all come together. He simply spoke and creation responded. It describes God’s voice as powerful and majestic just as Iceland’s flowing volcanoes and giant fjords reveal this majesty and power. This psalm ends with a positive note for us. Even though God sits in power over everything he chooses to see us and bless us. He chooses over everything he has created to esteem us and bless us with his peace and strength only He can provide. 

When we think of Iceland, we can think of all the wonderful creations it displays. We should also think about how wonderful God is for allowing us to live in that creation and for giving us our own blessings. The fiery volcanoes, the frozen towers of ice, and the aurora borealis should remind us of the love God has for humanity and the responsibility we have to praise such a Creator.