Nature Teaches

I spend a lot of time hiking nature trails. I enjoy the beauty and wonders of nature. I see God’s hand in His creation. Powerful waterfalls remind me of His might. Beautiful sunrises tell me of His majesty. Rivers speak of His steadfast love. The mountains declare His sovereignty over all things.

Romans 1:20-21 says, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” It is not enough to know about God. We must give Him thanks for all He has done, and we must honor Him in what we do. If we worship the creation instead of the creator, we give ourselves over to darkened hearts and foolishness.

Rivers of Blessings

If you have seen and read my posts, you will know that I enjoy daily hikes in nature and find myself walking next to rivers quite often. Rivers not only create beautiful scenery but also serve many benefits. They provide water to irrigate the crops that we need to feed us. They are an important source of transportation of goods. Their waters often provide power through hydroelectric plants. But rivers are dependent on the sources of water that make them such a powerful benefit to us.

In John 7:38, Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'” Jesus promised that those who believe in Him will become a source of continuous blessings to themselves and for others, like a river of living water. He is the source of these blessings, as He works through and in us. We must depend upon Him in order to receive and give the blessings that He wants to give.

Unequalled Jury

If you have spent time in a courtroom as a juror, plaintiff, defense, lawyer or observer, you know that the courtroom is designer to discover the truth. Witnesses state their knowledge, evidence is presented, and lawyers advocate their cases. Unfortunately, sometimes tricks and showmanship overwhelm the evidence in the eyes of the ones who judge.

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” God’s Word reveals the truth about us. We may try to cover our weaknesses, but God’s Word reveals whether even our thoughts and intentions are righteous or evil. Our tricks to cover our true intentions and hearts of unbelief do not offset what the truth of God’s Word exhibits about our true nature. The unbeliever, hypocrit, and true disciple are all revealed in the light of the truth of the Word of God. Nothing is hidden from God and He makes the ultimate judgment, so it is best to believe in Him and align ourselves with His Word.

Firm Foundation

On hiking trails, rocks come in many shapes and sizes. On the trail, rocks make for uneven surfaces and sometimes obstacles. However, huge rocks, like those that form the mountains in Yosemite National Park, highlight the beauty and majesty of nature. In the Bible, God is often referred to as our Rock. That is because, like the mountains of Yosemite, He is unchangeable, immovable, and precious in His majesty and salvation.

II Samuel 2:47 says, “The Lord lives, blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation.” A rock is something we can count on to never change and can become a firm foundation. Many rocks are precious like gems. Our God is unchangeable and is a firm foundation for our faith and life. As such, He means more to us than precious jewels.

Daily Conversations

Most of our daily conversations cover only surface matters of circumstances and events. We don’t like to delve into the deeper matters of the heart for fear of offending others and inconveniencing ourselves. I am an introvert and love to consider the deeper matters, but I, too, don’t often speak about or listen to the deeper things of the heart. In order to encourage  and help others, we need to get into a deeper level conversation with them and find out what they are thinking. However, we cannot provide any true help or encouragement apart from the truth.

Daniel 2:21-22 says, “he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.” We shouldn’t be satisfied with the elementary and surface truths of God’s Word. Instead, we should seek to know the deeper wisdom of God and gain a more thorough understanding of His Word. Then, we can offer real encouragement and service to others.