The frozen pond surface was nearly perfect: smooth, snowless, and surprisingly transparent. On previous occasions like this, with the ice almost as clear as glass, I had peered through that surface at turtles resting motionless on the bottom. I had raced a school of fish as it darted through the watery world below. But, on this day, as I skated across the surface, a single dark figure caught my eye. I was sure it was following me, keeping pace with me, just inches below my skates.
I bent over to get a closer look, still gliding with skates parted as I strained to see this new companion of mine. A beaver? No, a muskrat! My eyes widened and my jaw dropped before a delighted smile spread across my face. This wild creature had approached me – perhaps curiously investigating the strange figure atop the ice, tapping and scraping the surface with silver blades. To act so boldly, it must have felt safe in its ice-capped fortress. I thrilled at this rare moment of connection with one of God’s more elusive creatures, which typically hides in the watery depths or in its bank burrows.
On another occasion, I had a conversation with a barred owl. I’m no owl whisperer, but when I mimicked its “Who cooks for youuuuuu all?” with my hands cupped around my mouth, the owl responded! A wild creature spoke to me! Both of these moments of wonder were gifts from God.
Perhaps you’ve had moments like these as well – a close encounter with a bird that alighted nearby for a brief second or a staredown with a deer standing motionless in a field. Even the ordinary encounters with nature can strike us with a sense of wonder if we take time to look and listen – a crocus spreading its petals to the sunshine on a spring morning, a robin singing its evening serenade, or beads of dew shimmering on the threads of a spider web.
Why are these interactions with nature so captivating and joy-giving? Maybe it’s because they afford us a sweet taste of “shalom,” that condition in which all things are in right relationship with one another. On a planet where most creatures fear humans, we long for a world where all living things coexist in harmony with one another and with us (see Isaiah 11:6-8). We experience fulfillment when we care for animals and joy when a pet forms a bond with us and returns our affections. We enjoy cultivating plants and watching them grow to produce flowers and fruit. By God’s design, we desire a close relationship with other creatures. Sin has marred our relationship with God, with other humans, and with the non-human creation, and we long for restoration of those relationships.
Loss of Wonder
As we attend to the many responsibilities of adulthood, moments of wonder and connection with the creation become fewer and farther between. Our children, too, spend less time playing outdoors than in previous generations. When we do go outside, creation is often just a backdrop for whatever activity we are doing – playing sports, exercising, or traversing from building to building.
The distractions of electronic devices also draw our attention away from the natural world. Cell phones and computers offer us benefits, but immersion in these technologies comes at a cost – the loss of connection to others and to the natural world.
How often do we take time to pay attention to our surroundings and look closely at the intricacies and beauty of God’s creation? Do we know the plants and animals that inhabit our backyards or our local parks? Do we teach our children about them and draw their attention to them? Do we view them with a sense of wonder? Does it even matter if we don’t?
Reconnecting With God’s Creation
What if we made the effort to see the natural world as something to interact with rather than just the scenery around us? What if we took the time to be more observant, to use all our senses to fully experience the wonders of God’s creation?
A growing body of research affirms our intuition that spending time in the natural world and interacting with it is good for us – good for our physical, mental, social, and spiritual health, and for our children’s well-being. (See Richard Louv’s books “Last Child in the Woods” and “Vitamin N” for intriguing discussions on the benefits of engaging with nature.)
Connection with nature offers spiritual benefits as well. Many people say they feel closer to God when they spend time in his creation. As a biology professor at Geneva College, I teach a class that introduces students to local plants and animals and some basic principles of ecology and creation care. In a reflection paper at the end of the semester, one of my students wrote “I am glad that I have developed to be a more observant person throughout this semester. … Thinking about these organisms while observing them fills me with awe. After spending time in God’s creation, I feel a closer connection with Him.”
This is what teachers hope and pray for – that our students will be changed by the learning experience, have their eyes opened to the world around them, and become joy-filled, lifelong learners who grow closer to God as they see evidence of his glory in the world around them.
The psalmist David affirmed that “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). The Apostle Paul attested that “[God’s] invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made” (Romans 1:20). As we experience the wonders of creation, we are inspired to contemplate the power, beauty, creativity, and love of our Creator God. We respond by glorifying God, which is what we were created to do.
Relating to Creation as Imitators of God
Christian ecologists have noted the link between our relationship with creation and our care for it. Rick Lindroth said, “People will care for the things that they love…They love the things they’re intimately connected to.” Similarly, Calvin DeWitt pointed out that awareness of and attention to aspects of the creation lead to a deepening appreciation for the created thing. Appreciation grows into a deeper valuing and cherishing, which leads to stewardship, proper care for the handiworks of God, as we pursue God’s best for his creation.
But this is not just a one-way progression; it is a self-sustaining feedback loop. As we care for created things, we grow to appreciate and cherish them even more. As we appreciate, value, and cherish them, we are more attentive to them and become more aware of their unique characteristics. Throughout this process, our sense of joy and wonder increases.
As we contemplate the wonders of creation, the wisdom of the Creator, and our proper relationship to both (see Psalm 8), we stand in awe of the One who devised such unique and intricate creatures, finely-tuned ecosystems, and a vast universe. We find ourselves loving what God loves and caring for what God cares for, as children of God serving as his representatives to the creation.
Loving and caring for the creation is a reflection of the love and care that God himself has for his created order. Our connection with creation, our understanding of its value, and our diligent care for it flow from our rightly-ordered loves for God and his creation. Nurturing a relationship with creation and promoting its flourishing are expressions of our calling to “be imitators of God, as beloved children.” (Ephesians 5:1). It is also an act of obedience to God’s command to “work it and keep it,” more literally translated “serve and protect it” (Gen 2:15). We experience a taste of shalom in this life as we work with God in the process of restoring broken relationships, including the relationship of humans with the non-human world.
Sharing the Joy
One of my greatest joys as a biology teacher is seeing students develop a deeper relationship with the creation and the Creator. Even brief encounters with creation can foster a deep connection.
One student, reflecting on a bird-watching assignment, wrote, “The nuthatches were so close to the room I felt like I could reach out and touch them. I was able to see all of their detail and witness God’s creativity in creation first-hand like never before. … From what started off as an awful day quickly turned out to be the closest I’ve ever felt to God’s creation.”
You don’t have to be a teacher or a naturalist to enjoy God’s creation and bring others along on the adventure. As you deepen your own connection with creation and Creator, consider how you can encourage others to do the same. Within our churches, we can foster a greater appreciation for creation and a right intention to care for it more diligently. You can start by inviting friends to go on a hike or a spring wildflower walk, engaging kids in an outdoor scavenger hunt, or going camping.
While you’re out there, spend time observing and learning about the plants and animals around you. Plant a native wildflower garden on church grounds and involve the children in its care. My church has incorporated a science theme into our VBS program for the past several years. Water, birds, insects, rocks, and trees have been our subjects of study. These themes have presented great opportunities to share the wonder of creation with children, tap into their natural curiosity, and make connections with the many biblical object lessons and analogies that speak of the natural world.
Embark on an adventure and enjoy creation together in community. You might be surprised at what you discover when you venture outside and explore. May those moments of revelation stir in you a sense of wonder at the works of God and may that wonder draw you into a deeper relationship with our Creator and Redeemer.
Marjory Tobias is an assistant professor of biology at Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, where she enjoys teaching biology and environmental science from a Christian perspective. She is a member of Christ Presbyterian Church in Beaver Falls where serves on the mission committee, summer mission team, and VBS staff.