Understanding God and Nature

In many areas of life, humans tend to use association to remember or learn more about people, places, or ideas. One might say, “Oh, yeah, I recognize that person from this event” or “I remember going to this place on vacation at this period in my life” or “I remember learning about that event in history from this somehow unique teacher in middle school.” One area where this is somewhat common is when people associate a person with a place. People tend to only see specific people in specific settings, and, therefore, always think about the two together or only remember people by where it is they first met them. This is especially true when the person is someone very important but not someone who the person doing the associating sees daily. In almost all cases, trying to understand either the person or the place without the other is impossible. In my own life, this is the case with God and the places in nature I am most familiar with, rural areas and the night sky. Associating God and these places in nature allows me to receive a fuller understanding of both.

In rural areas, God can be seen in many different lights. Some people see him as an artist who has created a landscape pleasing to the eye. Others see him as an omnipotent provider of all the necessities of life. As I drive over the mountain that brings me into the cove in which I live, I think about God as the engineer who has set everything in motion. I see the land as a whole, the trees, the fields, the creeks, the animals all as one, and I have faith that God is responsible. All pieces of nature work as only a benevolent ruler can make them work. The plants receive nutrients from the water in the soil and rely on the sun for their photosynthesis while animals rely on the plants for food, the creek for water, and the sun for warmth. Thousands of these relationships that keep nature stable and seemingly eternal exist to show that God has designed a world that works and that is anything but chaotic. This order adds to my understanding that God is in control. In viewing the land this way, as in relation to God, it allows me to better appreciate it. It makes me respect it and frees me from the troubles of the world of man by making me realize something out there exists that is much bigger than I am. In the same way, a child looks at his house and reacts as though this is the home his father has provided for him. He has no worries because he knows that his father is in control of everything that he sees. In a different way, I appreciate the individual aspects of the land. I see the different parts of nature, and they make me think about how God has given each one an individual life. These ways of relating God to nature in rural areas has provided me with two things: first, an understanding that God is in control and, second, a grateful heart because God has used that control to breathe life into the world around me.

Another part of nature that seems intertwined with God is the night sky. I believe that simple stargazing, which has unfortunately been lost in our society, can be a powerful experience and can be crucial to understanding God’s relationship to humankind. In trying to explain it, I have no doubt that something will be lost, but it is still necessary. When I look at the stars, one of the first things that comes to mind is the distance of them. Stars are light years away. Stars are also vast beyond comprehension, not only in size but especially in number. Billions of stars within billions of galaxies exist in our universe. All of these facts should really lead to one feeling: humility. Earth is a relatively tiny, insignificant rock in the universe. If one thinks deeper, however, he or she might realize that maybe earth is not so insignificant, but instead that Earth is rare. Everyone has heard the numbers about how unlikely it is that life could have came to be on this planet or even how unlikely it is that Earth could have existed. This planet is unique. Mankind is unique. So, in my case, I am led to the belief that we are here for a reason and that that reason probably comes from a being who is above and beyond us: God. God, for some reason, has obviously chosen to be a part of our lives. He has chosen this planet and our species, and making the connection between God and gazing at the stars in the sky has allowed me to better understand this.

When thinking about these aspects of nature and how they relate to God, not only am I able to better understand God and his actions, but I am also able to better understand the places with which I make the connection to God. For example, the rural areas of nature, both as a whole and as individual parts, create in me a certain thankfulness, so I look to understand why this could be. I find that the places I see are ultimately gifts. I understand that I am not responsible for the creation of anything. However, I do realize that, as gifts, I must treat them with care. They are to be looked after and cared for as gifts, not to be misused. I understand that it is my responsibility to treat them this way. This feeling could be compared to going to a play or a concert. While I am not responsible for any of the music or acting, I am careful not to make any disturbances or interruptions. The performers deserve respect for the work they have created. Another example of better understanding places I relate to God comes from looking at the Earth in relation to the universe. I am able to understand that while Earth is seemingly insignificant, it is ultimately extremely rare and has been chosen by God. I am also able to understand that I am not here by chance, and so I have no reason to waste my life because God obviously wants me for some purpose.

As I ponder upon my understanding of these two places and their relation to God, I am moved to search out for other areas of life which can do the same and pull me closer to God. Henry David Thoreau once said, “My profession is always to be alert, to find God in nature, to know God's lurking places, to attend to all the oratorios and the operas in nature.” While I have displayed how I see God intertwined with a couple of different parts of nature, I believe the way Thoreau does. I believe that God can be found in all areas of nature and that finding him can give me a better understanding of both him and the part of nature I found him.

Works Cited
"Henry David Thoreau Quote." Wisdom Quotes. Web. 05 Apr. 2010. .