countless wonders

Creation. God's amazing masterpiece. What we see around us every day.

It is something I have been meaning to write about for some time. But it is such an awe inspiring, beautifully overwhelming thing. That I have found it hard to put the right words to it. Maybe because there are none. Human words can not grasp it.

My favourite time of day is just before the sun sets. Everything is bathed in hues of yellow and gold. Making the world appear soft and friendly. A happy place.

For years I didn't spend much time outdoors. I have an office job. And I am not sporty. So by default I don't get outside much. Since I have started walking our dogs however, I spend time in the same little part of nature on most days.

The thing that never ceases to amaze me is how different that little bit of world is from one day to the next. It changes. Constantly. Not one day is the same.

The backdrop is painted in different colours, with strokes of cloud and sky. Some days have flawlessly blue skies with sunshine enhancing the colour of every little detail. Other days are gloomy and dark, seeped in shades of gray, rain drenching the earth with its goodness.

"Both day and night belong to you; you made the starlight and the sun. You set the boundaries of the earth, and made both summer and winter." (Psalm 74:16-17 NLT)

Weather. Seasons. Birds. Animals. Even my state of mind. It all influences what that part of nature looks like. Sounds like. Feels like. And it is different. Every day.

And that is just looking from one individual's perspective, at one part of the day, in one tiny part of the world - as we know it.

On one particular day, it is different from one hour to the next. Imagine the countless variations every day, at every hour, in every part of creation. Each day, each hour is a masterpiece. Created for our pleasure. And each of us experience it in our own unique way.

"The heavens are Yours, and the earth is Yours; everything in the world is Yours - You created it all. You created north and south." (Psalm 89:11-12 NLT)

I try to take in the beauty of nature whenever I am confronted with it. To never get used to it or just take it for granted. To let it speak to me as often as possible. To (as far as I am capable) appreciate its unique beauty every day. But still, I fall incredibly short.

As I was once again walking the dogs - on a cold, misty day - I was thinking about exactly this. Finding my senses heightened as we made our way through the farm. In awe of the incredibly beautiful scene of sunlight filtering through the mist. At dew drops in the trees, tiny flecks of moisture forming in front of my eyes. Bright specs of yellow, pink and white flowers in the grey. Lush green lands. Blue mountains in the fog.

And I find myself praying:

Dear God, Please enhance my senses...
So that I may see the beauty that surrounds me every day;
So that I may hear the sound of birds in the trees and know that I am more precious to you;
So that I may feel the crunch of the gravel below my feet and soft dog fur brushing up against me;
So that I may smell the scent of the rain and spring time in the air;
So that I may taste the many delicacies you have on offer;
So that I may appreciate it every day, Lord.
Fill me with Your Spirit so that I will hunger for these gifts of Yours!

"It is the Lord who created the stars... He turns darkness into morning and day into night. He draws up water from the oceans and pours it down as rain on the land. The Lord is His name!" (Amos 5:8 NLT)

I do not get how you see this world around you and still not believe in God.

A world like this could not possibly have been conceived by man. Not a single thing made by man can even barely compare to the wonder of the tiniest detail of nature. It could not have been created by chance or mistake. Or some "big bang".

There is too much thought in it. Too much detail. Too much constant dynamic change and variation. Too much love and compassion.