There are more trees on Earth than there are stars in the Milky Way.

If you grew up in church, you heard many sermons and you probably forgot most of them. But one thing that impacted me as a kid, was when a pastor told me that trees look like us when we worship. I immediately thought he was crazy. The next day at summer camp, I woke up a little earlier than the rest and did my Bible study on the back porch. The wind started to pick up and all of the trees were swaying. And there it was. The picture in my mind of a bunch of people swaying, singing, and praising. I started to cry.

It wasn’t like God was throwing it in my face because I doubted or judged someone. (Although I do believe that God has a sense of humor with those things.) It was just an overwhelming feeling of His presence while being in His creation. Nature is powerful and it is God’s gift to us. Here are a few meaningful ways to find Him and be intentional with our surroundings and nature.

1) Go on a prayer walk.

This is a great way to reflect on God’s presence in nature and to admire the beauty found within it. And here’s the best part- you can do this anywhere: at a park, in a busy city, or literally walking down your driveway. The world is full of His creation and things to ponder. There will always be a sky above you and there will always be the ground beneath you. In Genesis, when God created the Earth and all of us, He said that it was good. If we are to be imitators of Jesus and be made in the image of God, we should admire His creation as God’s gift to us. Here are some prompts to get you started:

Look around and find something in nature to thank God for. What is something He created that brings you joy?
How does God care for His creation? How does He care for you?

2) Study a specific piece of nature in the Bible.

Ever wonder why God appears through a burning bush to Moses? Or why did David defeat Goliath with a few stones? Or why Ruth was gleaning fields of wheat when she found Boaz?

Nature plays a part in scripture. As mentioned earlier, the Bible starts with creation. Focus on one specific item in nature that appears more than once in the Bible. What role does that item play in the story? Here’s an example:

Rocks appear several times throughout scripture. In Matthew 7, Jesus uses a parable about building on steady ground or rock. Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter which means rock. Sometimes rocks are used as weapons like when the adulterous woman was almost stoned, or when David kills Goliath with 5 smooth stones. Throughout the Bible, rocks are used as a symbol of strength and stability. And Jesus is our cornerstone. (The rock that holds it all together.)

3) Have a silent picnic.

I know it sounds strange. Scientists have found that listening to birdsongs alleviates feelings of anxiety and paranoia. So in other words, God’s creation will give us peace that surpasses all understanding. This might be an activity to do alone, or maybe with a few trusted friends. The goal is to not speak and practice silence to soak in all of the sounds and sights of nature. For me, this would be an extremely difficult task. Maybe play music, enjoy a snack, and write about all of the things you see and hear.

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature.” | Romans 1:20

If you don’t believe me about the trees and the Milky Way fact, just google it. I didn’t believe it at first either. When we think about space, we think about extraordinary galaxies and unbelievable vastness. But sometimes we forget that Earth itself is a vast and complex example of God’s beautiful creation. God is not limited to church doors and prayer closets. And the crazy part is, what God said about His creation, He also said about you. You are good and were created for such a time as this.

If you want more ways to grow your faith, check out these insightful studies and join the community of World’s Biggest Small Group! 👇

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