Sunday God Blog-A World of Metaphors

I have always used the phrase, “The Glory of God All Around You” when talking about God in nature, but it also has often struck me, how many metaphors for the spiritual life, surround us.

I can never walk along the narrow trail that leads to the bog, which has catbriars to the right and left of the trail, without thinking of the verse,
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying “This is the way, walk in it” Isaiah 30:21. Good advice or I would be tangled in thorns, which, of course, leads the mind to the many parables about thorns that represent the cares of the world, etc. And then when I arrive at the train tracks, where I try to start my praying, if crows aren’t in an uproar, or kingbirds distracting, I see the “narrow road” ahead of me that I am encouraged to follow.

Just the other morning, as I was headed out on my walk, I noticed our ornamental cherry tree that has been for the last few years providing a feast for the unwanted winter moths. This moth has been a recent bane to the Cape and is quickly defoliating trees that have just recently survived a gypsy moth onslaught. The clever little bugger, moth in this case, comes out of his pupa in Nov or Dec when most of the birds who would consider him a menu item, have winged off for southern climes. So, they go about the business of laying their eggs unfettered, and these eggs hatch early in the spring, sending the larvae out in droves to feast on the leaves while still in the bud. When spring comes, either the leaf never appears, or if it does, they are there waiting to finish it off.


All this to lead to the fact that my tree, with most of its leaves looking like lace now, had a few intact, healthy, green ones. And for some reason, it struck me that our present society is getting a little moth eaten. But, there are still good people, green leaf people, not entirely eaten up by the values of the day, and they are what will keep that tree alive. They are its only hope really. To you, still-green-intact-leaves out there, keep it up. Keep loving people, being honest, being kind, loving God, asking to be used by God to brighten someone’s day, keep living your life with integrity. If we can manage to stay green long enough, and keep the moths out of our own lives, the tree might live.

Like the psalmist who said we were all without excuse (a fellow believer that the Glory of God was all around us), I add to it, that the lessons of God are all around us if we but look for them. So, may you have a chance to get out on what is a gloriously beautiful day here on the Cape, and take a lesson, even from the thorn bushes, or whatever else speaks to you along the way- Happy Sunday!