Taking time to enjoy nature and thank God for all of it renews our souls. Reflect his beauty back to him by making time to explore the world he has created and praise him for it.
God really does speak to us everywhere.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and right now I am thinking back to a Wednesday late afternoon last year when I arrived early for our church’s weekly prayer meeting. It was very late in the day and because I was early, I wheeled to the back of the church, which overlooks Malibu Creek. A lawn slopes gently to the creek, which is lined by lush greenery bulrushes. Two huge eucalyptus trees provide shade, and the setting sun was sending long rays through the branches, tinting them gold on the edges. It was so beautiful, almost ethereal with the sun just barely caressing the rosebushes. Like I said, I was early for prayer meeting and so I spent half an hour meticulously cataloging everything in my heart, scanning the pine trees, the yew bushes, the ice plants, the roses, the rabbits, the birds. I took in each part of the scene slowly and did not rush. And with every scene, I spent a moment or two thanking God for his marvelous, creative variety. I cannot begin to describe how it refreshed – I mean, it completely renewed and refreshed my heart. If I had been anxious, it had all drained away and my soul was filled with serenity and a happy quiet.
Man, what a way to start a prayer meeting, right? And what a way to remember that this world does not belong to the movers and shakers. This world does not belong to Greenpeace, and environmentalists do not rule it. The power brokers don’t own the world. Governments don’t run it, and the banks don’t finance it. The terrorists cannot destroy it, and the United Nations can’t bring it peace. Kodak may try to capture the color, and RCA Records may try to create the sound, but there is no mistaking, this is our Father’s world. I realized that all over again as I sat there at our church’s rose garden.
Recently I was listening to an Ask Pastor John podcast - that’s John Piper’s podcast, it’s really great, you ought to sign up for it - anyway, he was saying that God reveals himself in four specific ways – through the Old Testament Scriptures, the words of Jesus Christ, the teaching in the epistles, and, finally, get this, through his creation. “The heavens declare the glory of God,” says the Bible. “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” Oh, man, the power and the majesty of God are all on display through creation, whether we see his handprint on the mountains of Glacier National Park, or on a sunkissed rosebush in my Church’s backyard. And when we recognize that handprint and ascribe God glory and praise for his wonders of creation, we experience a beautiful revelation of our Savior, Jesus, the one through whom all things were created.
So, do not miss the chance to have your heart refreshed and your soul renewed. Do not miss the opportunity to be blessed, perhaps in your own backyard or maybe in the park down the street. Look for the handiwork of Jesus in the woods beyond your house. Bundle up if you need to, and go outside to take in the beauty of your view of our Father’s world. Look it over slowly, I mean, really notice the fine attention to detail that Jesus shows you during your morning walk. And then, give all the glory, the praise, and the honor to the one who, by his word, holds all things together. Praise him and bless him, and reflect his beauty right back at him with your smile and uplifted hands. Take this today as your hopeful word today from Joniradio.org. And these truly are hope-filled words, because they’ll fit you for whatever your hardship.
© Joni and Friends