God's Gift of Nature

Written by Allison Gardner - Heartland Church - Fort Wayne, IN
​Photographer: Rhonda Logan-Bailey

At a distance I could see it.  Its pure, white face popping up through the field of green. As I got closer, I stopped to admire the beauty of the solitary flower that had mustered the strength to bloom there in the middle of the weeds. God’s creation is an amazingly beautiful, complex thing. It is full of the character of God, and, if we are paying attention, it points us right back to our Creator. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Psalms 19:1 NIV


When I come to the end of myself, being in God’s creation draws me back to Him. Taking a walk down our country road, listening to the cicadas sing their song, and hearing our unruly rooster announce that dawn has arrived, I find a peace like no other. As I go, I am often reminded that Jesus went away into nature. He walked along the sea, climbed a mountain, or went to a garden to pray.


There is a calm that surrounds us as we take in the beauty and complexity of the Lord’s creation. Who could orchestrate such a melody composed of sounds of the wind blowing through the trees, birds singing their praises, children running and laughing, kittens purring, and the buzz of the bee besides the omnipotent, holy God? In the same way, who could paint such a masterpiece filled with the splash of colors as the sun rises and sets, the intricate design on the wings of a beautiful butterfly, or the trail of a star shooting across the midnight sky besides the Creator of the universe?


As the world strives to make the next bigger and better thing, we should step back and step out into nature. It is simple, yet at the same time, complex beyond our finite understanding. At the beginning of time, God walked in the cool of the garden (Genesis 3:8). The Creator enjoyed time spent in His creation. Let’s do the same.


Father, thank you for Your beautiful creation and all the gifts we find within.  May we always turn our hearts towards You in worship as we savor the beauty.  Amen.