Outside

 May 8, 2023

“He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters.”

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence does my help come?”

“Consider the lilies of the field. They sow not, neither do they reap, but your Heavenly Father clothes them.

“Those who wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.”

“Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the belt of Orion…Can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs?”

These are all quotes from the BIble, which was written over the course of more than a thousand years, mostly by men who lived close to the land. Even the urbanites of those long-ago days were much more in touch with the and, the seasons, the rhythms of Creation. So it’s no surprise that the natural world figures large in the Scriptures. 

In the Old Testament, much of the record we have reveals a long, drawn-out struggle between the One True God and  the “nature” gods of the surrounding peoples. For Israel, it was a delicate dance, appreciating Creation without worshipping it. That dance still goes on today as what some have termed “eco-fascists” engage in all sorts of tactics to shut down any activity that doesn’t square with their version of what it means to be “green.”

Though as Christians, we don’t worship nature, ie. give it priority over everything else, we do recognize the spiritual benefits of spending time there. Jesus often drew aside from the crowds to what the gospel writers called “lonely” places, away from the hubbub and distraction of the multitudes. His example is worth following.

Today was warm and sunny, perfect for being outside, so as soon as the grass dried, I was out mowing the long-overdue lawn. A couple hours without having to plan, prepare, or otherwise exercise what Poirot called “those little grey cells” was like a healing balm. The air was fresh, the sun warm on my skin, and though I cannot multi-task, so prayer was not on the agenda, even so, God was working deep in my soul, renewing and refreshing the desert places with springs of living water. 

Summer is almost here. For us Northerners who have a narrow window of opportunity, it is tempting to cram way too much activity into these few months, but we do so at our peril. “As the days, so shall your strength be,” says the Scripture (Dt. 33:25), but the promise is only as good as we are. God doesn’t have any provision for our taking on more than he intends. Fretting over the schedule we’ve crammed full to overflowing because we have a narcissistic need to be at the center of everything and imagine that God can’t possibly do without us is not only foolish; it is a sin.

Today for me was pure joy. I am grateful I don’t have a boss leaning over my shoulder, breathing down my neck. Instead, I have a Heavenly Father who quietly whispered, “Come aside and rest awhile.” I did, and it was glorious!