Nature and the Present

In 1875 John Muir asked "what is the human's part in the mountain's destiny?" I read that question last night and took a little bit of time to think about it. I remembered what Wordsworth said, "Let nature be your teacher," and Psalm 19, "The heavens tell of the glory of God." I suppose everyone could have a different answer for John Muir's question, but for me, the answer is simple. Nature can teach me about and point me to the glory of God. I very much desire to be a good student in God's classroom of nature.

Annie Dillard wrote, "I have experienced the present purely through my senses." The "present" has much to offer. Right now, I'm at my picnic table enjoying the birds, the sunshine, the trees. This is my favorite way to begin a day. My trusty coffee mug, Bible, notebook, and most of all, an attitude of quiet and stillness to capture the present. My greatest enemy during my morning quiet time is getting caught up thinking about the work that needs to be done out here; the garage needs paint, the garden has weeds, the grass needs mowing, the feeders need bird seed. It is a constant mind battle to train myself to refocus when I start thinking about those things instead of what God wants to show me in His creation.

I'm nearly 40. I so regret that I didn't learn to appreciate nature with all my senses 20-30 years ago. But unfortunately this lesson is a relatively new one to me.

Every thing I love about nature, I realize now, is grace. Anything "grace" is undeserved, unearned, and unmerited. Grace is "bonus." All the birds have a different song. That's grace. God could have easily given them no song or made them all have the same song. I'm thankful for the gift of grace in the songs of the birds.

In bloom in my garden right now are yellow day lilies, purple cornflower, white irises, deep pink peonies. God chose to give us multiple colors to enjoy. That's grace.

Psalms 66:4 "Everything on earth will worship you: they will sing your praises, shouting your name in glorious songs." What is my part in the mountain's destiny? or the birds', trees', flowers' destiny? My part is to follow their lead and worship the Creator with them.

A Divine Nature Watch

This year has found me training myself in a new discipline, something I’ve never done before. I am trying to hear the voice of God through nature. Psalm 19 speaks of nature being a teacher, how nature alone can teach us about God. Recently I read a quote from William Wordsworth. He said, “Let nature be your teacher.” That quote resonated with me and I knew that I had neglected the lessons of nature. I knew I had neglected to see God in his creation. I had no problem marveling over the “grander” things in nature; the Rocky Mountains, oceans, a gigantic waterfall. But I hadn’t quieted myself to hear God and see God in the nature I’m around everyday.

Murray Pura wrote a story called “The Divine Game of Pinzatski”. In the story, the Pinzatskis, an urban couple, played a game of naming characteristics of God that things in nature reminded them of. If they saw an eagle, one of them might say that eagle reminded them of God’s power or his majesty. The ash in campfire reminded one of them of the purity of God. Ants staggering along with a bit or corn reminded one of them of God’s desire to use what is apparently weak and puny to do those tasks which are most difficult.

“My Divine Game” isn’t quite like that, although sometimes it’s very close. God is teaching me to see a message from Him in his creation. It has been enlightening and encouraging. Many mornings before I leave my house, just looking out my living room window I will see not just nature, but the nature of God as well.

One evening I went to bed right after reading the newspaper and TIME magazine. I was struck by the wickedness and pain in our world. My heart was heavy. The next morning as I was having a cup of coffee and waiting for God to show me something new in nature, the trees began to teach me. Actually it was a single spruce. The spruce was standing among deciduous trees and she was a stark contrast, (although I’d never noticed before). Her green was deeper and she was pointing heavenward. As all the trees surrounding her were blowing in the gentle breeze, she looked stoic and unwavering as she delivered her message; “Look heavenward, aim heavenward, think heavenward.” The spruce reminded me that all my help and all this world’s help will ultimately be from God, and that is where I need to focus my attention and affections.

Several mornings later the trees were still. It had been days since there had not been a significant breeze. That morning the stillness of the trees seemed to say, “Be still and know that He is God.” I was reminded to slow down and soak in the fact that He is God. My eyes were drawn back to the spruce, which had reminded me to look heavenward a few days earlier. This day I was reminded to look heavenward in the stillness, the calmness, the quiet—not just when my heart was heavy or burdened.

The peaceful gurgling noise of a fountain has repeatedly reminded me of God’s gentleness. The songbirds remind me to sing a song of thanksgiving and praise to God. The trees that didn’t produce well this year because we failed to prune them, remind me that God has a purpose in my hardships, my pruning. The robin couple working together on their nest, had a powerful message on unity.

This new form of viewing nature has transformed my outlook. Things that I never noticed before have become beautiful and nurturing. They have pointed me to God, they have quieted my soul. Psalm 19:1 “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” For so long I’ve neglected to listen to God’s messages in nature. I’m glad we serve a God that is not limited in how he speaks to us. God reveals Himself in nature. I am thankful to be learning that.

Spring is Here

Spring is in the air. Flower shoots are sprouting up and nature’s early risers (I’m not talking about my kids) are singing in the tree outside my bedroom window when I wake up in the morning. I love everything about spring: warmer temperatures, longer days, green grass, even spring-cleaning.

I especially love flowers! The ones that can be bought from a florist are beautiful, but the ones that grow in my own yard, I have a particular fondness for.

In early spring, I watch those flowerbeds with anticipation, just waiting for those first shoots that are like promises that say, “Yes, spring is coming.” They are little treasures to this girl who didn’t grow up in a land of such long winters.

This year as I’ve looked for specks of green shooting from the cold, brown dirt, I’ve experienced just a tiny bit of conviction. “Are you looking for treasures in My Word as diligently as you’re searching for those flower shoots? Do you get as excited about a new found truth in My Word as you do about a new found shoot?”

I am thankful for God’s reminder to me to “look longer and harder” in the Word of God to find a treasure, a shoot that could possibly become a lovely flower in my cold, dark heart.

God gave us flowers to give us delight and to delight Himself. Springtime is a time to delight in the newness we have in the world around us and the newness we have as Christians. Let’s rejoice! It’s spring!