Finding God in Creation
My family loves to travel. We especially love seeing the beauty that our country has to offer in the National Parks. Over spring break in 2019, we traveled to California. Our goal was to visit Yosemite National Park, among other sites. I had seen pictures, and I’d heard a lot of people say it was a favorite. I was looking forward to family time, getting a stamp in our National Parks passport, and not being in Delaware!
My husband is an obsessive trip planner, making sure the routes we take are the most efficient and scenic. He had researched the best way to enter Yosemite: through “tunnel view”. For many miles, we drove through winding California roads. When we got to the tunnel in “tunnel view”, we were in the dark for several seconds. Our eyes had adjusted to the darkness. As the van moved forward, all of a sudden, our entire family gasped, for out of the darkness of the tunnel, this beautiful scene burst forth.
My eyes filled with tears — literal tears at the beauty of this creation that God had made. We tried taking some family pictures in front of it, but the results made it look like we were standing in front of a green screen! Oh, the beauty!
God is evident in all creation, but I think there are some places where He is just showing off. Yosemite National Park is one of those places!
In the American National Parks system, there is so much diversity. The grandeur of Yosemite, the rocky hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, the immensity of the Grand Canyon, the raw power of Volcanoes, and the vast size of Wrangell-Saint Elias (which can fit about 10 Delawares in this Alaskan park) all speak to a creative, artistic Creator God.
God can be found in the big creations, and he can also be found in the small ferns, the delicate wild flowers, and the tiny creatures (Why mosquitoes, Lord?). Jesus even tells us that stones can cry out in worship.(Luke 19:40)
God has been creating since the beginning! The first chapter of Genesis details what was created and when. God didn’t just stop with water here and land there…that wasn’t enough for Him. He creatively designed different KINDS of water (freshwater, saltwater, and more), and so many different kinds of rocks! Scientists still discover new plant life and animals. God’s hand is visible in all this creation.
But think — the God of the universe, who created all this beauty, knows you intimately. The God who created the giant sequoia tree also knows how many hairs are on your head. He knows your thoughts before you do. And He loves us! He loves US more than this grand, diverse creation. He loves us so much that he planned (even before all this beautiful creation) to sacrifice his own Son so that we can be restored into right relationship with him and spend time with Him for all of eternity. If Earth has these beautiful sites, what will heaven be like? Revelation 22:5 states in heaven, “there will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.” We’re also told there are amazing sights in heaven, including walls of jasper, foundations of every kind of jewel, gates of pearls, and golden streets. (Revelation 21:18-21) How humbling and how awesome is that? God created. God loves. God restores.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
Find some beauty in God’s creation today and thank Him for His awesome creativity.
PRAYER
Lord, I thank You that You created this whole amazing world, and You thought we were needed in it. Thank You for loving us! Amen.
Julie loves traveling, National Parks, reading, and creating. She lives in Delaware with her wonderful husband. Together they have four awesome kids. She’s excited to share what the Lord has placed on her heart with all the Daily Treasure readers. She prays that these devotions are a blessing to you!
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Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.
