God’s Wilderness Creation
By Scott Mathwich
Genesis 1: 26-31
There are times when we go to the fields or the woods or the waters to harvest food from the bounty of God’s wilderness creation. It is a demonstration of God’s love for us by creating the plants, animals and fish that He gave us dominion over. Prior to entering the fields or the woods or the waters, it is good to pause and thank God for the opportunity to be in His creation and to ask for patience, alertness, safety and maybe even skill and luck. When success is achieved, it is equally good to offer thanks to God.
In between entering, and leaving, God’s wilderness creation there are many things that we experience by seeing and hearing. There are the sights and sounds of many other plants and animals that are present, or cross our path – or we cross their path. Sitting, standing or walking we see the sights and hear the sounds of God’s creation, God’s love for us. We watch and listen intently for the clues of our focus. Often, only the commonly expected things are experienced, but occasionally an unexpected thing is experienced which strikes us in awe. Occasionally, we are prompted to mutter soft words as if answering a voice within us, responding to something we see or hear, or communicating to the rest of our body. Sometimes we lose focus by civilization – the cell phone, an airplane, a vehicle or a noise. Then we start over again to sync with the sights and sounds of where we are and what we are doing, observing and listening, seeing and hearing.
God showed us love by creating the wilderness; the sun and moon, the earth and water, the plants, animals and fish. God created a vast variety of landscapes; the fields, woods, hills, valleys, lakes, rivers and streams. We sit, stand and walk in created gardens and landscapes – hunting and gathering or just experiencing and appreciating. Often it is the solitude we seek, but can also be the comradery of like-minded people and sometimes even teaching moments. We can be far afield or close by. God is with us by the Holy Spirit within us. God is with the plants and animals as they do what God created them to do in motion and sound. God is present in the air, the soil, the wind and the water that sustains the plants, animals and fish.
Success might come in the time we are there, relative to where we need to be most of the time. Success might come in the form of a sabbath rest. We are in the presence of God, by being in His wilderness creation. Success might be in the harvest, the watching, the catching, the releasing, or just in the being there. Just in the being there. Amen.
Join us this Lenten season for our near-daily devotion, part of