He has made the earth by His power. He has established the world by His wisdom. By His understanding He has stretched out the heavens.
–Jeremiah 51:15
“I’m going out to see my Father’s world.”
That’s what pastor Maltbie Babcock was in the habit of saying before he took his morning walk up to a hill that overlooked Lake Ontario.
Babcock knew nature was evidence of God’s existence. In nature, you can hear God’s voice. Through nature, you can see God’s character. This love of nature and nature’s Creator inspired Babcock to write the beloved hymn “This is My Father’s World.”
King David also loved nature and nature’s Creator.
He must have grown up hearing how God had spoken to his ancestors through trembling mountains, whispering wind, clouds of fire and earthquakes. Like his ancestors, David spent his boyhood years outside, guarding sheep. Many of his psalms reflect the lessons he learned about God through nature.
Jesus taught through nature. He used fish, mud, sticks, figs, oil, sheep, storms and more to explain who God is and who He was.
God’s Words surround us. He has much to say through His creation. We need strolls through His creation. We need evening walks together. We need solemn rambles alone. We need to look. Like Babcock, like David, like Jesus, we need to listen. We need to absorb the peace God offers through the trees, skies, bugs, and animals that cannot help but sing His praises.
Our Father’s world is God’s gift to us, and we can learn of Him by admiring what He’s made.
Prayer
Loving Creator, Everything in this world is Yours. Thank You for calling me Yours as well. Please help me to recognize Your hand in all of Your creation. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Reflection
How often do I absorb myself in creation? What keeps me from spending more time in my Father’s world?
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