My wife and I recently had the opportunity to spend some time in the mountains. It was the first time in a very long time I’ve experienced the beauty of God’s creation in that setting. One cannot help but be in awe of the Creator when you stare up at trees that are impossibly tall and marvel at the seemingly infinite number of them congregating together. As my wife noted, it made knowing the number of hairs on your head easy compared to the sheer volume of trees we were witnessing. Perhaps it was all the more impressive for a city dweller like myself, but realizing God knows the number of trees and watches over every creature and critter inhabiting those mountains was nothing short of breath-taking.
I was reminded how often we take for granted the glory of God’s creation. Whether it’s the beauty of a sunset when the sky is painted with fire or the deafening silence of a crisp morning at 6500 feet above sea level, the wonder of our majestic God is everywhere if we only dare to see it. Too often, we are too busy to notice this beauty that surrounds us. Focused on our day to day activities, we trample and turn a blind eye to the pleasures God has created for us to enjoy.
Think about that for a minute the next time you do happen to marvel at nature. God handcrafted all of this for our enjoyment. The earth and the animals were all created for us to care for and enjoy. What an extravagant gift! Think of the best present you ever received; did you turn up your nose and ignore it? More likely it was something that you treasured and wanted to show to everyone. Should it not be the same with God’s creation?
We’ve become so preoccupied with our own creations that we ignore the inspiration for them all. God is the original and master Creator. Nothing has ever been fashioned by man that did not start with materials created by God Himself. We need to clear our minds so that we think of God first and God always. Everything else is just noise and clutter. If we would learn to see the beauty of His creation as we go about our days, we would find ourselves to be focused on others more than ourselves. It’s impossible to feel too significant when surrounded by the detailed creation of God.
We can’t always go to the mountains where the beauty of God is impossible to ignore, but we can notice His handiwork in everything around us. Remember, everything was created for us to enjoy and to point to the Creator Himself. Every blade of grass, flower, and tree display the unmistakable fingerprint of God. Every individual bears His image. The sun, moon, stars, and clouds speak of His magnificence and sustaining power. Don’t go through life missing all that God has created for you. Learn to recognize His glory and beauty in everything. Let His majesty fill your soul. Never take for granted what God has given for you to enjoy.