Christian Living Today

“To sit too long in one posture, pouring over a book or driving a quill, is in itself a taxing of nature, but add to this a badly ventilated chamber, a body which has be long without muscular exercise and a heart burdened with many cares, and we have all of the elements for preparing a seething chaldron of despair. Especially in the dim months of fog. Nature outside of his window is calling him to health and beckoning him to joy. He who forgets the humming of the bees among the heather, the cooing of the wood pigeons in the forest, the song of birds in the woods, the rippling of the rills among the rushes, the sighing of the wind among the pines, needs not wonder if his heart forgets to sing and his soul grows heavy.” ~ Charles Sprugeon

While Spurgeon is obviously writing to the Pastor of his day, his words hold great wisdom for us today. You may not spend your time ‘pouring over a book or driving a quill’. Your chambers may not be ‘badly ventilated.’ However, if you are like most Americans, your body has probably gone too ‘long without muscular exercise.’

Regardless of whether these are true of you, many, many people today find their hearts ‘burdened with many cares.’ Is it any wonder, then, that we find ourselves stirring a ‘seething chaldron of despair’? Yet, Sprugeon says, God’s creation plays an important role in our overall spiritual health. Are you taking advantage of its balm?

Spurgeon is not alone in his recommendation. However, before we look into what the Bible says about the spiritual benefits found in nature, I wish to emphasize nature is only one of two ways in which God communes with, guides, and restores our souls. More importantly, it is only the secondary way.

Scripture holds the primary place. The Westminster Catechism says, “Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence, do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation. . .”

From the outset, therefore, I want to make it clear. No one can excuse their lack Bible reading, study, and meditation, or their negligence in attending worship, sitting under faithful preaching, and fellowshiping with the saints by saying they ‘feel closest to God’ or ‘commune best with God’, in nature.

Just a few clear commands Scripture gives to Christians:

“. . .forsake not the assembling of ourselves together. . .” (Heb 10:24-25)

“. . .Study to shew thyself approved. . .” (2 Tim 2:15 AV)

“. . .delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law he meditates day and night.” (Ps 1:2)

Furthermore, in Acts we are shown several practices in the early church. These are written for our example. We see these early Christians:

Speaking the Word with boldness (4:31)

Sharing liberally to meet one another’s needs (4:32, 11:29)

Preaching and teaching (and listening to preaching and teaching) (8:5-6)

Witnessing (8:26-40)

Corporate prayer (12:5)

Fasting and Prayer (13:3, 14:23)

Breaking bread (quite possibly communion) (2:42,46)

In other words, our primary means for learning and growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, comes to us through His Word, primarily the word preached and the word studied. In addition, as we see from Acts, numerous other things contribute to our growth as Christians. However, God’s creation does serve as a secondary means for learning about our great God.

If we come to nature with an informed mind, we can address the heart which has forgotten how ‘to sing’ and the soul which has grown weary. Creation remind us:

of God’s glory (Ps 19, Ps 148)

of God’s providential care (”look at the birds. . .consider the lilies. . .” - Mt 6:25-30)

of God’s greatness and our smallness (Ps

God made our world beautiful. He packed into it a myriad array of colors, shapes, sounds, textures and smells. He could have made everything in black and white or shades of grey. Everything could look the same, feel the same, taste the same, and smell the same. But it does not. In fact, it takes a cold heart to fail to be inspired, humbled, and awe-struck by the glory God has revealed in the world He has made.

May we learn how to find solace, regain our bearing, comfort our weary hearts, and, above all, magnify our glorious God as we partake of the beauty with which He has graciously surrounded us. Stop reading and go for a walk!

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