Finding God’s Presence in Iceland
The Rev. Stephen Elkins-Williams
I will ponder the glorious splendor of your majesty
and all your marvelous works. (Ps. 145:5)
With the Psalmist (and the hymn writer), I can attest to being “lost in wonder, love and praise,” in the face of God’s marvelous works. From the majesty of a starlit sky to the complexity of the human genome, from the radiant beauty of a flaming sunset to the poignant strains of whales singing far beneath the ocean depths, a myriad of marvelous works “make known the glory of [God’s] kingdom and speak of [the Divine] power” (145:11).
This overwhelming sense of God’s presence is not limited to the beauty and complexity of nature. I find it also in human relationships: in the transforming and life-changing, at times agonizing, bonds of marriage; in the demanding and fulfilling role of being a parent and grandparent; in the surprising and challenging friendships which both empty us and fill us.
Recently I had the opportunity to find God’s engaging presence in a very different milieu. My sons, Tyler and Peter, gave me an imaginative and engaging birthday present—a trip to Iceland! That was not something I had thought of doing before; but they planned (and paid for!) and accompanied me on this unforgettable adventure.
Unlike our country or countries I have visited, Iceland is a unique place. It is described in one guide as, “situated just south of the Arctic Circle, between North America and continental Europe, a location many would describe as the edge of the world. Puzzling and paradoxical, this remote island…was created from the convergence of the mid-Atlantic ridge, and an enormous amount of magma erupting from its rift on the sea floor, beginning twenty million years ago. The last eruption happened in March of 2021 and lasted for more than six months.” (And in fact, that volcano just erupted again in late November!)
Just reading that description ahead of time filled me with a sense of awe and wonder; and arriving and experiencing the ubiquitous volcanic rock and the thermal heated lagoons and the plentiful and bountiful waterfalls and the glaciers and glacier lakes filled with numerous ice floes—only deepened it and made it almost tangible.
God’s dynamic presence was not limited to the landscape of Iceland. The people are very friendly and devote themselves to welcoming tourists. Christianity was adopted as the official religion in the year one thousand, and although we were there only a few days, I could relate to the Psalmist’s declaration that, “The Lord is loving to everyone, and his compassion is over all his works (145:9). The food was good and plentiful, and we certainly had a sense of “God opening wide [the Divine] hand and satisfy[ing] the needs of every living creature” (145:17)!
Most of all I experienced God’s engaging presence in the persons of my sons, who not only made our trip possible but who were so attentive to me, even, for example, with steadying hands on particularly rocky trails. The three of us have always been close, but our experience of Iceland together strengthened our bonds even more deeply.
One generation shall praise your works to another
and shall declare your power.
I will ponder the glorious splendor of your majesty
and all your marvelous works. (Ps. 145:4-5)
