Finding the
Meaning of Our Relationship with God in Nature
Suzanne Elizabeth
Anderson
Morning walks with
my Newfoundland dogs are an experience of vibrant autumn colors so stark that
they stand against one another, sharp delineated lines that can only be found in
nature as she heralds her last glory before the dormancy of winter. Against a
cloudless cerulean sky, Quandry peak cuts the sky with sharp-edged steel
colored rock among the first blankets of winter snow, sinking into pine green forests
and golden Aspens, as my eye travels down the mountain’s flank to the dirt road
where I stand.
Last spring, when
I had pneumonia, one of the ‘little books’ I read was “The Lily of the Field
and the Bird of the Air” by nineteenth century theologian and philosopher, Soren
Kierkegaard. He wrote a fifty-one-page treatise on ten verses from the sixth
chapter of Matthew, a simple and beautiful parable told by Jesus using common
symbols from nature to demonstrate God’s love for us. These verses seem apropos
of not only the glory of autumn that greets me each morning, but also where I
am lacking in my walk of faith.
How do we trust in God’s provision? The scripture responds:
“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we
drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’… your
heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you as well. “
What does it mean to seek first God’s kingdom? My
natural response is to create a list of activities to demonstrate my eagerness
to please God, as if I could use this as currency to beg for His help with my
needs. Counterintuitively, Kierkegaard instructs us that first
we must stop. Stop striving and become silent. Our silence and inaction enable
us to turn our complete attention to God, and thereby seek God’s perfect plan
before we begin constructing our own.
Only when our
hearts and minds quiet enough to hear God’s thoughts, is God truly our priority.
Our readiness to stop and listen for
God’s instruction, is our strength. In wordless surrender, we finally acknowledge
that God is our Source for everything we need, he knows our needs, and He will
provide perfectly.
When I go out for
a morning walk with my dogs and my mind is filled with worry and plans of what
I must accomplish today, I miss the colors of nature. I miss the birdsong. And
most certainly, I miss the ‘still, small voice of God’. Only when I quiet my
mind can I be present to experience the beauty of my surroundings, to
acknowledge that in this moment all is well, and in the silence, I can
experience God’s assurance. As we pursue silent communion with God in the midst
our worries, we demonstrate our trust in God’s goodness.
Suzanne Elizabeth Anderson is the author of “A Map of Heaven.”
She lives in Breckenridge. Join her at www.Facebook.com/suzanneelizabeths
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