Today, as I was walking back to the parking lot after class, it was snowing. On its own, this is far from a remarkable event, but it got me to thinking about what I call the "wonder of spontaneous beauty."
Bill Hybels suggests that there are several pathways to God, and before you cry heresy on me, I will explain that what he means by this is that we each have a different way of connecting with God. Some feel closest to God in service, others in worship, others in meditation and solitude, others in activism... My "pathway" is nature.
There are moments in my life when God just surprises me with beauty in nature. On a road trip several years ago, as we were driving down the Oregon Coast, we turned the corner, and there was the ocean, set against an incredibly gorgeous sunset. It was a serene beautiful moment... and I was filled with the wonder of spontaneous beauty.
Snow does that for me, too. On mild winter nights, when the big, fat snowflakes are falling, I feel the same joy inside. In summer, it's fields of tiger lilies.
These moments are ones that can't be orchestrated or re-created. We can put ourselves in positions to experience them, but only God brings out the Northern Lights or the perfect flowers or the cloud-enhanced sunset or the big fat snowflakes that add that extra layer of wonder.
And then it hit me that when that happens, it's God saying "I love you." It's His way of romancing me and reminding me that I am extra special to Him. It's the human equivalent of a dozen roses or love letters... but infinitely more precious and divine.
4 comments:
My pathway I think is through service. When ever there is a youth that develops a relationship with God and I have had the opportunity to be along for the ride I get that same feeling and intimacy with God that you explain when you see nature. It's amazing how it's different for everyone. You painted quite the picture Julie!
You write what I feel. Do you think how we feel intimate with God is hereditary?
It must be hereditary, i react the same way:) I love being outside, the smells and the sights, the beauty of the mountains and the simple yet amazing way flowers open and are so beautiful. The detail is in things from tiny to absolutely huge, he made this world for us and thought about how to make it special in every experience.
Maybe not hereditary, but quite possibly a trait of the way we were brought up...
Perhaps I should not have groaned every time we had to stop and look at flowers. :) Plus all those hikes through nature...
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