You can hear all kinds of sounds in the forest. My family and I were just in the mountains of Colorado, where the peaks are shrouded in blankets of Christmas trees. I recorded just a few of the sounds we heard: swaying pines, gently falling raindrops, rushing creek waters, scampering squirrels, burrowing chipmunks, mountain goats clacking across the road, and birds chirping. We made a few sounds of our own, too: slapping mosquitoes off my husband’s back, my boys singing songs about hunting mushrooms and crushing them, hearing them ask if we were going to see monkeys (sorry, kiddos, no wild monkeys in Colorado), and my favorite was watching them play “Deck the Halls” with sticks on the side of a rock (all those Christmas trees around us were very inspirational).
And for me, there’s no better place than the majestic mountains to hear from God. I feel so close to Him, it’s like I’m sitting in His living room and we are chatting away like old friends as He shares all that He made.
When questioned by his friends, even the afflicted Job responded with what God tells us through nature if we would but sit and learn.
“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;
or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you;
and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
Who among all these does not know
that the hand of the LORD has done this?
In his hand is the life of every living thing
and the breath of all mankind.”
Job 12:7-8
The word “tell” in these verses is the Hebrew word “nagad” and it means to be conspicuous – to be told plainly. Just like when we were kids and got to bring an item from home and share a story about it at school, I see creation as God’s opportunity for His show and tell. And it is, indeed, the greatest show and tell on earth. He’s got a story behind everything He made. From adorable iconic red mushrooms to bushy-tailed squirrels. From moss-covered boulders to fields of gorgeous flowers. Every item with a name and a purpose and a unique life. Yes, even the blood-sucking mosquitoes.
God longs to teach us about Himself, and one way to do that is to show off His workmanship. Look close enough, and you will find products of His imagination all around. He made it just for you. The more complicated He made it, the more plainly it speaks to His power. Here’s a tiny sampling of some of what we saw on our trip.
A beast of the field (who, with his friend, were blocking traffic).
A rushing creek full of snow-melt.
The sweetest little flower poking its head toward the sun.
An expanse of boulders jutting out of the evergreen forest.
It was glorious. Because God made it, and God is glorious.
Whatever you see or hear, wherever you live, let it speak to you about God and His powerful creativity and give Him thanks and due praise for His Almighty hand that is constantly thinking of you.
I love listening to this song and thinking about all that God made. Listen to Touch the Sky and be blessed.
INTERTWINED 