The wisdom in nature - a promise of hope

I love the view of nature in the wisdom literature of the Bible: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job. It assumes that nature has a lot to teach us. I’ve always found inspiration in nature. To view the vibrant colors of a Kansan sunset creates a sense of awe for the beauty God has created. The power of a good cleansing thunderstorm on the plains refreshes the air and usually my spirit!

Mountains have a special place in my heart. There is a grandeur about them that is awe inspiring! When I first moved to the Pacific NW, I would be so struck with the beauty of the mountains as I drove along the interstate that I would call out to my children who were with me, “Look, kids…the Cascades!“ or “Look, kids, Mt. Rainier!” or “Look, kids, the Olympics!” I didn’t want my children to miss out on the beauty. Twenty years later, I haven’t lost that sense of awe.

I never want to lose that sense of awe for the beauty of nature. And I as I reflect on this Lenten season, my prayer is that my sense of awe might increase for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and the hope of renewal and new life that it brings. In this difficult time in our society when many people, including my family, wonder what will happen to our jobs or our loved ones’ jobs, the promise of spring…the promise of renewal…is a promise of hope that we need.