AUGUST; PRAYING INTO NATURE

  

August is a wonderful gift to our spiritual lives.

 

Take time to sit in the presence of God and get in touch with the creative hand of God manifested in the leaves, the corn growing in our gardens and each insect that may be flying around.

 

The Christian religion has always taught that the first book of revelation was creation. The very first chapter in the Bible has the more recent story of creation: the seven days of creation. At the end of each day, God surveys his work and gives a sigh of pride, “and it was good.” The story of creation affirms the very goodness of all created things and the blessings they will bring.

 

But in the last thousand years Christians have not focused on creation as the work and the hand of God. All the focus was on the salvation of humankind.  All creation existed for the service and exploitation of human beings. The only part of creation that had value was what happened on the sixth day: woman and man were created!

 

Now, with climate warming and the threat that humanity could ruin the created world or at least make life on the earth very difficult with a warming climate, we need to give a second look at what revelation actually is. We do not know the survival rate of anything that is alive if the climate continues to warm.

 

Have we been missing an essential ingredient in divine revelation?

 

The crisis we are living in today has forced us to look what we have forgotten in our story of salvation. Thoughtful people are reclaiming the truths of revelation that we have not paid attention to for the past thousand years.

 

The first action of God is to create the world, in all its magnificent diversity. The first sharing of the life and energy of God is all of creation: the great cosmos to the smallest bacteria. All is a manifestation of the goodness and sharing that springs forth from within the very life of God.

 

Now in this August, take time to share and appreciate every blade of grass and every leaf. Hold a tree leaf in your hand. Be alert to the joy and the life-giving property that particular leaf has to God. What joy is there in the very heart of God to  see that leaf bud forth, grow green and absorb the energy from the sun. Be in touch with the life-processes that that one leaf brings to the tree.

 

Then move to your pet dog. All the breeds of dogs (there are many) have evolved from a now extinct wolf line. How could the genetic material of the originator wolf be manifested in so many varieties of dogs? And how can your dog bring you such joy? And give you so much fun when you take your dog out to the dog park for some vigorous exercise and fun?

 

Getting in touch with the creative hand of God in all of creation: all the Canada geese that are training their young to fly and gather food this August; all the vegetables growing in your garden ; will bring you to a deeper and joyful appreciation over God, the creator and maker of the world.

 

When you pray with creation and are alert to the creative hand of God, there will be  much joy in your life this August.