Schools out! Yay! Let summer begin NOW!
As we head into the summer season, we see the beauty of God’s glorious creation all around us. In reality, the beauty of what the Lord God has created is always there, but summer brings this out in all its summer glory. As we travel over the summer months (even with record high gas prices!), we can find beauty in many places. These places are soothing to the soul. We may find beauty and peace in the mountains, be it the Smokies, the Blue Ridge, or even our Cumberland Plateau, places that show us the handiwork of the Master Artist. That beauty and peace of the mountains, with the trees and hidden valleys, causes us to stand in awe and wonder.
There are so many places around us that show us the awesomeness of the Lord, who made all beauty. That beauty can be seen in our own backyard where plants and trees, birds and animals, insects, and many forms of life, all containing the miracle of life, are witnesses to the Lord God who created them. Just sitting outside on a summer evening as day gives way to night (don’t forget the bug spray), the words of the psalmist ring true in our ears: “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:3-4). Though the psalmist wrote these words thousands of years ago, they are just as true today as when they were first written. When we consider the beauty of the world around us, we begin to understand that this is not some happenstance accident that caused all of this to come together in such a beautiful tapestry of life. No, something far deeper and truer is at work here.
In the midst of our daily lives with all its ups and downs, its demands and challenges, we sometimes long for places away from the busyness, whether it be at the beach, the mountains, or some other beautiful place. We long for space and time to breathe deeply, and rediscover the wonder, beauty, and joy of God’s gift of life. We all need these times away to recharge our batteries; to step away from the everyday routines that at times make us feel boxed in. The vibrant colors of life become muted and dull in us.
I pray that you will have time away over the course of this summer so that you can be renewed and refreshed in body, mind, and spirit. And even if a big trip, such as to the mountains or ocean, is not possible for you this summer, please do seek out some space to see all of life in simple pleasure. That space might be as close as your back porch or deck.
In praising the Lord who made all beauty, we realize that all of life can become worship. No longer limited to an hour or so on Sunday morning, each and every day, each and every moment, can become an opportunity to give thanks and praise to our creating God.
Mrs. Preacher and I wish you a summer filled with constant wonder that you may see all of life in simple pleasure. We praise the Lord who has indeed made all beauty!