“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.
~Job 12:7-10 ESV~
Lately I have noticed that we, as a people, have become detached from creation. We often prefer to seek stimulation from simulations rather than experiencing pure, organic fun.
There is something called Nature-Deficit Disorder that I believe is at the root of many of the physical and emotional struggles that mankind faces today (if you would like more info on this disorder, you should visit https://www.childrenandnature.org/about/nature-deficit-disorder/). Nearly everything you can think of under the sun is available via a television, computer, or smart phone screen, so the outdoors can virtually be avoided altogether.
I've thought a lot about this; my struggles with unexplainable health issues have caused me to do a good deal of research in many different areas in an effort to get better. Two things that I have found are, 1) too much screen time/artificial light can be detrimental to our health, and 2) God's creation provides for us a better (in fact the best) quality of life.
If we take the time to notice, we can see that all things in God's natural order (from plants, to animals, to human relationships, and right down to our very atmosphere) work for our own good.
Have you ever looked at a tree and just felt happy or played with your dog and forgotten about being grief-stricken? Have your ever taken a bite out of freshly plucked fruit and felt satisfied or received the touch of another person and felt comforted? Have you ever taken a deep breath with your arms stretched wide and felt your stress melt away?
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| This tree captured my soul while my husband and I were on a hike in Sacramento, New Mexico. |
There is a reason for these phenomenons, for the positive effect that Creation has on our lives: God was purposeful in His work.
Scientific studies have shown that trees promote happiness. This is due to the fact that they produce oxygen and to their color (other studies have shown that viewing the color green has positive effects on mood and reduces fatigue). Even during the lowest points in my life, if I look up to a tree, even if just for a moment, I feel peace. Other studies have shown that people who own pets are happier people. I know my little dude, Seamus helped me through some lonely times (he even comes to give me snuggles when he sees me crying or upset).
God's creation brings us joy and nourishment because it was created specifically for us.
Earth's atmosphere is perfectly balanced to suit OUR needs. It protects us. If it were to be tweaked by even a minuscule amount we would not be able to breath, we wouldn't have enough water to survive, we could freeze to death, or be burned up by the sun.
This is no accident. This is the care of a loving Creator.
When we stay copped up, alone in our homes we become anxious and melancholy, we become trapped in ourselves; our bodies start to feel less like an instrument and more like a shell. This is no way to live.
God does not want us to live detached and solitary lives. His creation reveals this much to us.
Why would flowers be so beautiful if we weren't meant to take in their colors? Why would we have vocal chords if we weren't meant to sing and share our stories? Everything God created serves a good purpose (Genesis 1:31).
Mountains are meant to be climbed and sunsets are meant to be viewed.
Our Creator has made such beautiful things, the least we could do is take the time to step away from our screens and get outside to appreciate and enjoy them.
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