Seeing Creation

The garden as a good place for people to connect with the world is used a number of times in the Bible, starting with the Garden of Eden all the way up to Jesus retiring to the Garden of Gethsemane. Those two gardens, in particular, are sacred spaces. The Garden of Eden is a place of paradise where all life comes from. While the Garden of Gethsemane is often simply seen as the place of Jesus arrest and violence, you have to think a little deeper about it. Of all places Jesus could have gone to pray during this troubling time, including inside a temple, He chose to be outside in a garden. The implication is that the garden provided some relief from the stress He was under and that He felt closer to God there.

I definitely feel closer to God in my garden. It is also a place of joy because I can go there any time and explore it photographically. I do not need to go on any long trips or pack a lot of gear. It is also a place that helps relieve stressful times in my own life.

One thing that helps me feel closer to the nature that God has created is that my garden is a native plants garden. I have grown native prairie plants in gardens before in Minnesota, and now, I am growing plants native to the chaparral of Southern California. These plants represent an important part of the natural ecosystems of Southern California and help me feel more connected to them. I can now watch and photograph these plants 24/7 and all year round to learn their lives and personalities.

I think such gardens and the use of native plants is important in our landscapes. I believe that one of the reasons people get alienated from nature and do not connect with God’s creation well is that they truly are alienated from nature when all they have growing around them is either exotic plants they will never see in the wild or asphalt. What a choice. Can you imagine Jesus retiring to the Garden of Gethsemane so He could sit under exotic flowers from South Africa rather than connect with plants that were truly part of His world? How do you connect with a God of creation if all you see are plants and flowers from another continent that are not part of your world?

I love seeing exotic flowers and plants, too. I would not want gardens to never have them. But I do think the world immediately around us, including our gardens, can have a big impact on how we see nature and, ultimately, God.

Rob

In his book, Rumors of Another World, Philip Yancey speaks of having undergone two conversions: “first from the natural world to discover the supernatural, and later to rediscover the natural world from a new viewpoint.”  The second conversion led him to try to make daily life sacramental.  This means attempting to see God in the world around us each day.

Yancey says, “Every day, every hour, every moment, I must exercise my calling to hallow God’s creation, whether it be leatherback turtles in Costa Rica or the irritating kid next door who peppers my yard with golf balls.  Holy sparks are potentially trapped in every moment of my day, and as God’s agent I am called to release them.”

I think a lot of us are in need of the second conversion Yancey speaks of.  We need to understand that the world God has created is indeed sacred.  Likewise, we need to grasp that God uses what He has made to reveal Himself to us.  There are lots and lots of “holy sparks” waiting to be released.  But before they can be released we must recognize that they are there and look for them.  In The Imitation of Christ Thomas a Kempis wrote, “If your heart were right, then every created thing would be a mirror of life, and a book of sacred doctrine.  There is no creature so small and worthless that it does not show forth the goodness of God.”

Yancey also speaks of another effect of his second conversion.  He says, “If I take seriously the sacred origin of this world, at the very least I must learn to treat it as God’s work of art, something that gave God enormous pleasure.”  Normally we treat works of art with great care.  Apparently many  today fail to see Creation as a work of art.  This is evidenced by the destruction of the planet’s rain forests, the pollution of streams and rivers, the careless elimination of animal species, and a host of other environmental degradations.  God’s incredible work of art deserves far better care than it has received!

Throughout Christian history there have been a number of “great revivals” or spiritual awakenings where thousands of people experienced the first conversion Yancey spoke of.  Perhaps what we need now is a great revival where people will experience the second conversion.  I pray that revival comes.

–Chuck

(The image above was taken at Craggy Gardens on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.)

I continue to be amazed at how the various figures of the Bible use nature to illustrate spiritual truths.  I’m reading the Book of Jeremiah now and a few days ago I came across a passage where the prophet encouraged his listeners to trust in God.  He indicates that there are benefits of trusting God but he doesn’t say exactly what these benefits are.  Instead he compares them to a tree planted by water.

The passage I’m referring to is Jeremiah 17:7-8.  It reads, “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.  They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream.  It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.”

A similar comparison is made in Psalm 1.  There the Psalmist declares as “happy” those whose “delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.  They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither.” (v. 3)

Since I live in an area which has lots of creeks and rivers I see every day “trees planted by water.”  And sure enough, even in the tremendous heat we are experiencing this summer, they continue to thrive.  They have what they need most—water.

In God we find what we need most.  And Jeremiah is certainly right.  There are many benefits of putting our trust in God.  Like the tree planted by water we can endure difficult times when we remain close to God.  We can live without fear and anxiety knowing that the One who created us and everything else has promised to provide for our needs.  We can live productive lives as long as we stay close to our Maker.  This is something Jesus himself stressed in his analogy of the vine and the branches in John 15.

As a pastor I have the privilege of delivering sermons each Sunday.  Here lately the Bible has been reminding me that nature delivers sermons each and every day.  Are we listening?  We should be!

–Chuck

(The “tree planted by water” shown above was photographed at Breaks Interstate Park in southeast Kentucky.)

There are definitely two sides to nature.  I tend to focus on the beautiful and inspirational side but there can be no denying that there is also a harsh and destructive side as well.  The recent flood here in Pike County has forced me to look at the destructive side.

Yesterday I had a chance to visit and photograph some of the areas hardest hit by Saturday’s flash floods.  There were numerous scenes, like the one pictured above, that revealed just what a powerful force nature can be.  I saw many homes and vehicles that were destroyed by the raging water.  I am utterly amazed that so few people died as a result of this storm.

Despite all of the devastation I hesitate to refer to nature’s fury as being bad or evil.  It simply is what it is.  The powerful forces of nature (floods, hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, etc.) have existed from the beginning of Creation.  They have also helped shape and form the beauty of the landscapes we enjoy so much.   In times of crisis it’s hard to admit but the truth is you cannot have the beautiful and inspirational side of nature without the harsh and destructive side as well.  It’s a package deal.

This morning I spent quite a bit of time dealing with flood relief issues. While driving home for lunch I was feeling stressed and burdened for those who are suffering.  As I pulled up in my driveway I noticed several new beautiful magnolia blossoms on the tree next to our house.  I got my camera and photographed the image you see here.  This gorgeous white flower seemed quite a contrast to the scenes I photographed yesterday. 

The apostle Paul once wrote, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:18)  I don’t think Paul meant we’re supposed to give thanks for bad things that happen to us but that no matter what comes our way we should maintain an attitude of thanksgiving.  Even in tough times there is always much to be grateful for.

 I cannot give thanks for the devastation Saturday’s flood caused but it certainly doesn’t stop me from offering thanks today for God’s gift of Creation.  Nor does it keep me from affirming, as God did over and over again in Genesis 1, the goodness of Creation.  Once again, it is a package deal and I remain thankful for the package.

–Chuck

If you’ve read or watched the national news today you may have seen stories about the flash floods that hit Pike County, Kentucky, last night.  I got to witness these floods firsthand—in my front yard!  The bridge that leads to my house was washed away and water came very close to getting into our house.  It was a frightening experience!

From time to time nature does, in fact, remind us of its incredible power.  When it does it can be a humbling experience.  Tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes and floods have a way of showing us humans that we are not in control.  Far from it!

Although I do not believe that God directly sends natural disasters, I do believe that we see in nature’s power a reflection of God’s  even greater might and strength.  I also believe that He can use natural disasters to remind us of how small we are and just how much we need Him. 

Last night I could only stand helpless and watch the destruction unfold in front of me.  I knew, however, that I was not alone.  In fact, I was reminded of a scripture passage I had read just a few days ago.  In Isaiah 43:2 God says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.”  I also recall Jesus’ promise, “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt. 28:20)  It is my strong conviction that God is always with us, come what may.

Does that mean we will never suffer loss from natural disasters?  Not hardly.  Several in my county lost much last night.  Does it mean that death is not possible when storms or earthquakes come our way?  Once again, not at all.  At least two people died here last night.  But what I do believe is that though we might suffer loss, or perhaps even death, God is still there to see us through.  His power is greater than any flood or earthquake.  His power is greater than death. 

Whenever I see the awesome power of nature I am not only humbled but led to praise the God who created nature and who has promised to always be with us.  He truly is an awesome God!

–Chuck

(The top picture was taken from my neighbor’s yard.  The bottom picture was taken from my front porch.)

As I have indicated before, I’m reading through the Bible again this year.  Right now I’m reading the Book of Isaiah.  As I have been going through this prophet’s writings I have noticed a recurring trend.  Over and over again Isaiah goes out of his way to emphasize that Israel’s God is the Creator God. 

In Isaiah 42:5 we read, “This is what God the Lord says—he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people and life to those who walk on it.”  Isaiah 45:18 adds, “For this is what the Lord says—he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited.”

Time and time again when God speaks He is introduced as the Creator of the world.  There are likely many reasons this is so.  For one, Israel seems to have forgotten the greatness of God.  He had become for them just one of many gods.  It was important for God to emphasize His supremacy so He says to His doubting people, “It is I who made the earth and created mankind upon it.  My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts.” (45:12)  Israel’s God was not just any god, He was the Maker of heaven and earth.

Affirming God as Creator remains important.  As we observe the beauty, majesty and power of nature God wants us to remember that He is the source of all we see.  He is someone who both desires and deserves our devotion.  His Creation is placed before us so that we will be reminded daily of His power and presence.  It is there so that we might hear Him say, “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.” (Is. 45:22)  Isaiah believed that affirming God as Creator ought to make a difference in one’s life.  I do too.

–Chuck

(The image above was taken at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado.)