By Carol Round –“Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight”—Ephesians 1:3-4(MSG).
My heart sank when I saw the empty nest. Just the day before, I’d peeked inside to check on the four perfect blue-green eggs. The young robin who’d laid the eggs had meticulously built an elaborate nest in the limbs of my Prairie Fire Crabapple tree.
When I first discovered the egg-filled nest, I was so excited and couldn’t wait to show my granddaughter, who like her Nana, loves nature. Nature in action is a beautiful sight to behold and a reminder of our Creator God’s masterpieces.
Nothing was left when I discovered the eggs were missing—not even shell remnants. I first thought a cat might have eaten the eggs. A neighbor suggested a snake. My research revealed a rat snake will swallow them whole. I also discovered crows and bluejays will raid and eat a robin’s eggs. Whatever happened to the four eggs, I was heartsick, especially watching the mother robin hanging around nearby as if she were waiting for their return.
Finding Spiritual Renewal When You’re Heartsick
Nature always brings hope and joy, especially in the springtime when my spirit needs lifting after a dreary winter. Watching the first signs of spring reveal her beauty, I can’t wait to dig in the dirt. Planting flowers fills me with peace and hope. I call it dirt therapy. Feeling the moist soil in my hands brings spiritual renewal and draws me closer to my Heavenly Creator.
Before I ever grasped the concept of a Heavenly Father who loves me, I found God in His creation. The wind stirring the branches of a tree I’d climbed or the sight of a lightning bug on a hot summer night captured my spirit and led me to embrace all of nature. How anyone could hurt an animal or destroy any part of creation is beyond my comprehension.
Albert Einstein once wrote, “Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.”
Embracing All Living Creatures and Nature’s Beauty
In Psalm 24:1, David reminds us that “the earth is the Lord’s and all it contains; the world, and those who dwell in it.”
God blessed us with beauty, a beauty unable to be fully captured by an artist or a photographer. Paintings and photographs are merely an imitation, a copy of what we can only experience for ourselves. Even the most talented cannot recreate the Master’s handiwork.
We are also made in His image. He chose us. Loves us. Gave His life for us so that we might be holy and blameless in His sight. When we gaze upon the face of another, we are seeing God’s design. His plan for mankind.
God’s Plan for Us
When was the last time you looked into the face of a stranger and thought to yourself “God loves him or her, too.” I’ve become more aware of that thought recently. When I’m quick to judge someone because the person doesn’t fit into the mold I’ve created, I stop and remind myself God loves them, too.
I find myself praying more for those I meet or pass on the street. For those whose lives appear to be filled with storms, I share a smile, hoping they see Jesus in me.
Despite the raging storms during this time of the year, spring is a beautiful season. It’s a season of renewal as buds appear on trees, flowers bloom, and birds build nests to welcome their young. This natural cycle of nature reflects the human experience of hope as we emerge from the dark into brighter days. Just as we leave winter behind and welcome spring, we can find hope in the promise of new life and the potential for spiritual growth and transformation.
I always love hearing from my readers. Please e-mail me at [email protected] with your thoughts or visit my blog for more inspiration at www.carolaround.com. If you need a speaker or workshop leader, contact me at the above e-mail address or through my website. I’d be delighted to hear from you.
Photo credit: Carol Round
