Nature-a gift from God

Rob and I started our morning with a long hike in preparation for our upcoming hike on Mt. Kilimanjaro. When all the noise and distractions go away, it always amazes me how mesmerized I become with all that God created. I notice all the little things, the sound of the cicadas that seem to grow louder and louder, the song of a mourning dove and other birds, the whispering of the wind blowing in the trees- all of this created by God.

Then I hear the laughter of children waking up from their campsite, the sound of barking and splashing as they play with their dogs in the water-all this created by God.

I focus on placing one foot in front of the other but can’t help be in awe of this creation. When I first started my theology course, we started with reading the Book of Genesis. In this reading, I read every verse with a new set of eyes. What stood out to me most was not the story of all God created, but what the world was before His creation. “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1:1-2). There was darkness…the world was empty.

So, as I focused on placing one foot in front of the other, I watched every movement of the world around me, I listened to every sound, and I stood in awe and thanks-because God did this. God gave us this amazing gift.- without Him, there would be nothing, only emptiness.

Today, and every day, I pray that you pause and look at the sky, smell the air, listen to the wind and the birds, watch as the wind kisses the trees around you….and stand in awe and thanks for all that God created, in thanks for our blessings.