Let Heaven and Nature Sing
How can we follow the example of the created world?
Verse of the Day
“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.”
Today’s Devotional
Autumn is my favorite season. Perhaps it’s because my birthday is in October, or maybe it’s because I prefer cooler weather. Whatever the reason, I love autumn. One of my favorite things about fall is the changing color of the leaves.
Let me pause right here and confess that I do not love to be outside unless the weather is nice, not too windy, not rainy. Basically I’m picky. But when the cooler weather of fall blows in, there is something life-giving to me about being outside.
No matter the season, the created world is constantly singing the praises of its Creator. If only we would follow creation’s example.
I also need to confess that I love having plants in my house but I am not very good at keeping them alive. I try, I really do. We have this one plant that is my favorite. It’s not the prettiest plant we have, but do you know why it’s my favorite? Because I always know how it’s doing. (How “he’s” doing. In my world, this plant is a “he”.) He sits in our sunroom, so he gets plenty of light. But when he is thirsty, he lays all the way down like he’s dead. When we water him, he’s standing back up and happy within an hour. He’s so dramatic and I absolutely love him. I wish all of my plants were so communicative (and responsive).
This plant teaches me that I have a responsibility to care for the parts of God’s created earth that are in my care. I also need to realize that I am just like this plant. If I don’t attend to my needs, especially my spiritual needs, I will not thrive. It’s simply not possible.
Nature also teaches us to slow down. Part of the key to becoming a person who consistently attends to our spiritual needs is learning that art of slowing down. Have you ever walked outside on a perfect day and just stopped in your tracks and appreciated the natural world? That’s the pace we need to embrace. I heard in a sermon last month that “walking is the pace of Jesus”. Not running. Not scurrying. Not constant busyness. Walking. We are told to “walk as children of light”, to “walk in the Spirit”, and to look carefully at how we walk. (Ephesians 5:8) (Galatians 5:16) (Ephesians 5:15)
Nature is following the pace of Jesus as it slowly walks from one season to the next. I have a tendency for my pace to be either furiously fast or dead still. I need to learn from the slow, steady pace of nature. I need to watch the example of my plants that lean toward the sun and know that I also need to lean toward the Son.
What does any of this have to do with gratitude? As we learn to slow down, as we lean into the Son, as we take care of our spiritual needs….we “bloom” with the ability to give thanks, with words and with our lives. Every flower on every plant on this planet is an expression of thanks to God. This world was created by God and continually offers thanks and praise to the Creator. We would be wise to do the same.
Today’s Gratitude Challenge: What are you thankful for about the created world? What things or places in nature draw your attention to God?
“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.” (Psalms 19:1-2)
Every time I get to go to the Rocky Mountains, I am awed by God’s creation. The first time I went scuba diving, I was blown away by the beauty that exists under the water that most people don’t get to see and experience. There are some days when I’m in just the right place to see a sunset that is spectacular and it’s breathtaking. When we experience these natural wonders, it’s one thing to appreciate their beauty. As we try to become people to practice gratitude, we take our appreciation a step further by taking the time to express gratitude to the Creator.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
What do you love about the created world, about nature? How can you express your gratitude to God for those things?
How can you slow down your pace today to walk with Jesus?
How can you attend to your own spiritual needs today?
How does practicing the habit of gratitude force you to slow down?