Sunday-God Blogs "The Nature of God"

At work, I occasionally offer a workshop for teachers called “The Nature of the Story”. I encourage them to use children’s books as springboards to the nature lessons behind the story. Well, as I was walking the other day, the thought came to me, how wonderful it would be to be able to take a class on the “Nature of God”.

In Bible studies we often study the character of God: his faithfulness, his omniscience, his compassion, his grace and forgiveness. In others we learn those fabulous Hebrew names for God that I have such a hard time remembering: Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will provide, Jehovah Raah, the Lord is our shepherd, El Shaddai, the Almighty, all-sufficient God. So, how about a study on the “Nature of God”, one that would rekindle in us awe and wonder at the work of his hands.

The sort of amazement so often expressed in the Psalms. David when he proclaimed, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Ps 19:1. Or, Isaiah, “ You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills will burst into song before you and all the trees of the field will clap their hands” Isaiah 55:1. There’s a “Yea God” hike for you!

And, wouldn’t I have loved to take a walk with the author of Ps 148! I think he and I are on the same page. In that psalm he has everything and I mean everything from the sun, the moon, the whales, and the mountains, the wild animals and small critters praising God. That’s exactly the way I feel when I am outside. Just today I was thanking God for the thrill of seeing my first Mourning Cloak of spring. A butterfly that, amazingly, survives our harsh winter in his adult stage, under the bark of some tree and then, with the thaw of spring, flits by as though no big thing has happened.

Tying in with this theme of awe and wonder, there was pertinent and surprising, considering the leanings of our local paper, editorial the other day entitled “Can Science, religion coexist?” by Erik Wikstrom and he too was talking about the need for a return to wonder. Here is a quote from his piece that is all too true,

“Our ability to experience true, deep reverential awe seems to be deteriorating. As our collective cynicism increases, our capacity for full-bodied soulful wonder seems to be decreasing.”

Which is sad isn’t it? He also included a quote from Albert Einstein

“The one who cannot experience wonder is as good as dead. A snuffed out candle.”

So, on this Sunday, I urge you to keep your candle burning. Get outside, look up, look around, see the Nature of God all around you, and breath in some awe and wonder. I can guarantee you will feel more alive for having done so.