Lexington Arch in Great Basin National Park, Nevada
I was reading a book the other day and a line struck me out of context.
The author suggested that one of the primary purposes of scripture was to prepare us to look for and recognize God, specifically, to see clearly when He reveals Himself.
Spires in Elephant Canyon, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
If we think about it, the Bible is a story of God revealing Himself to people and what they did with the revelation. Abraham, Gideon, Samuel, Nehemiah, Daniel, the disciples, Paul – all of them received a revelation of who God was, of what He wanted to do through them. The rest of their stories is about what they did with that revelation, what God did through them, and how He revealed Himself through them to the people around them.
Little wildflowers on Mt. Shasta, California
God also reveals Himself through His creation (see Romans 1:20). In the heavens declaring the glory of God, in the rains and storms obeying His word, in the flowers and grass appearing every spring, God is revealing Himself.
Rocky landscape of Big Bend National Park, Texas
I would like to suggest that part of the reason for this revelation through creation is so that we will recognize God when He moves. We are surrounded with the works of His hands (Psalm 8); if we allow ourselves to connect with these works, we are touching the very things God has done.
The cone of Mt. Baker across the Twin Lakes at sunrise, Washington
In that experience comes revelation of what God is like. Our perception may get in the way, and we do have to deal with the results of the fall. But we can also get a taste of what God’s works are like, of what God, Himself, is like, in His creation.
Slickrock cones along the trail to the Zebra Slots in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah
It’s sort of like going to an art exhibit by a famous artist. By studying the paintings or sculptures in the exhibit, we can grasp something about the artist – their values, their passions, something of their personality. It’s not the same as knowing the artist, personally, but it gives us a clue as to what the artist is like.
North Falls in Silver Falls State Park, Oregon
Of course, we know the Artist of Creation – He invites us to have a one-on-one relationship with Himself. This allows us to not only see the revelation of His character, His nature, in creation, but also to know what it points to, to be prepared to recognize His movement in other areas of life because we have experienced His fingerprints in the works of creation.
