Nature Reflects the Glory of God
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Romans 1:18-20 (New Living Translation, NLT)
Let’s be real. Every person knows in the deepest part of their being that God exists. Creation is proof of the Creator. Just as a great artistic masterpiece like the Mona Lisa did not paint itself, the earth and all its natural wonders did not create itself. Those who insist on believing theories like the big bang theory or the theory of evolution are simply deceiving themselves so they can live the way they want.
God is clearly seen in the beauty of nature. The skies, the trees, the mountains, the beaches all demonstrate the amazing creativity and power of the Lord.
God’s splendor is a tale that is told; his testament is written in the stars. Space itself speaks his story every day through the marvels of the heavens. His truth is on tour in the starry vault of the sky, showing his skill in creation’s craftsmanship. Psalm 19:1 (The Passion Translation, TPT)
Nature gives us a unique and powerful way to experience the presence of God. When we look at our surroundings, specifically keeping in mind that what we are enjoying was made by our heavenly Father for us, we are appreciating and worshiping God. Every blade of grass, every grain of sand, every star in the sky was made by God, and it brings Him pleasure when we enjoy what He has made.
The problem with nature comes when people begin to worship the creation rather than the Creator. I am all for taking care of our natural resources and being good stewards of the world God has made. However, there is a balance to be maintained. When we place more value on baby seals than baby humans, we are in big trouble. When we spend more to save the rainforests than we spend to feed the hungry, we are out of balance. Do I have something against baby seals or rainforests? Of course not. But, God made creation for us. He did not make us to serve creation.
When we view creation as a beautifully crafted gift from God, we can appreciate its value. But we must be cautious about assigning more value to nature than we do to God and the people He created in His image. Nature is important because it reflects the glory of God, but it should never take His place.
