It seems like God shows up when we need Him. Well, duh, He does. He's God and He's always there. But lately, it seems. that He has been showing me some of His beauty. Or maybe I have been noticing it for the first time.
Yesterday I went for a bike ride. I was having a bad day due to the news I had gotten about my sister only the night before. I was riding down 600th street in Upland when I came across a corn field. Now, the corn field was beautiful in itself. It was a rich green and very wide. I couldn't see the end of the corn field from where I was standing. And as I was passing, I saw something jumping in the field.
To my amazement, it was a dear. She was running across the field and at the same moment I stopped my bike with my breaks, she stopped and we both stared at each other for a few minutes. She was beautiful! She stood there, strong and steady, standing her ground. She was quite a distance away, but still, she was something to stop and stare at.
After a few moments, she turned and ran in the opposite direction. I thanked God for this sight and went on my way. About two seconds later, I happened to see a cardinal only a few feet away from me. He was something to behold. Again, I smiled and thanked God.
I continued riding for a while and eventually found myself at Taylor University's lake. I went to sit on the prayer deck, but couldn't sit. I went to one side of the lake and sat down. As I was sitting, I kept seeing and hearing the water animals splashing in the lake. Then, there were all the insects that were flying around. Some of them were beautiful and very interesting. They were different colors and had different patterns on their wings. I wish I knew all of their names.
When I wasn't captured by the fish, frogs, and turtles in the lake, I was drawn to the flowers and plant life that were in and around the lake. They were beautiful! And when I wasn't captured by the flowers and plant life, I was taking in the sky and the clouds and the beauty of the day, not to mention the warmth of the sun shining on my face!
Then, today when I was driving up to the house, I stopped on the driveway because a rabbit caught my eye. He was beautiful. He sat there, staring and still. Then his nose started to twitch and he started to eat some of the grass. I observed his every movement. He was beautiful.
I sat there for what seemed like forever and then moved on. When I pulled up to the house and got out of the truck, I happened to catch a glimpse of another rabbit. She was over by the grapevine. I walked over there and stared at her, too. When I felt she was afraid because of her body language, I walked away.
But, what have I done to deserve to behold these beautiful creations of my God? Nothing, and that is the beauty in it all. He brings me His beauty in my times of despair and fear. When I am in the valley, He brings me some beauty to behold to take my mind off the things I'm going through.
What a beautiful God I serve.
Oh Mindy, I'm glad that you're learning something I desire to learn: to see God in everything and to live every day with Him in mind. I too love nature and feel closest to God when outdoors away from the city. The city provides solitude and even relaxation, but only in the country or in the mountains or near the ocean do I truly feel God's presence.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder we have no excuse to not believe in God, to not know about God's existence. He reveals Himself through nature (and many other ways). It sounds like He has blessed you immensly in your ability to recognize these things. I firmly believe He allowed you to see all those animals yesterday because He knew it would remind you that He is there for you. There are no coincidences. God knows exactly what we need and He provides!