There is a unique beauty to all aspects of the creation. There are majestic mountains, vast, stark deserts, towering trees, and beautiful flowers. There are the oceans and the rivers, the sky, clouds, and all that walk, crawl, fly, and swim. From delicate butterfly wings to the surprising underwater gracefulness of the huge hippopotamus, there is beauty everywhere. This is true for every season as well. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall all have elements of beauty the other seasons lack. Truly, “the heavens and the earth declare the glory of God,” whether it is seen in blankets of new-fallen snow or the rich colors of the fall foliage.
This is seen most clearly in the spring of the year for many people. The trees have budded and are leafy green, the grass is thick and lush, and beautiful flowers are everywhere! Of course, there is a natural beauty to every season, but the colors and fragrances of spring flowers may perhaps grab our attention more than the beauty of other seasons. Right now, there are flowers in my house and my yard. If I walk around my neighborhood, I see them everywhere. When I drive through the city, flowers are present and prevalent. The beauty they bring to the world is impressive.
Though there has been much work done over the years in developing species and colors, flowers are on this planet because God made them and gave them to us. They are a gift to us for our enjoyment and a testimony to all of us of the glory of God. It is a wonderful, powerful, creative God who would conceive of and create the beauty of the flowers and all of the creation. Indeed, all of creation testifies to the Glory of God!
Psalm 104: 24-25 says it this way: “O Lord, how many are Your works! In wisdom, You have made them all; The earth is full of Your possessions. There is the sea, great and broad, In which are swarms without number, animals both small and great.”
This Psalm reminds us that the incredible creation we see all around us is from the Creative Hand of an almighty God. God made it, sustains it, redeemed it, and gave it to us for our enjoyment, and His glory is expressed through it. So, take a moment, look around you today, “stop and smell the roses,” and give glory to God. Perhaps you may even want to sing a couple of verses of the great Hymn “For the Beauty of the Earth,” to give God the praise that He so richly deserves.
For the beauty of the earth
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This is our hymn of grateful praise.
For the beauty of each hour,
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon, and stars of light.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This is our hymn of grateful praise.
As Lent commences on Ash Wednesday, we are entering a time of introspection and prayer leading to Easter. Let us reflect on the significance of death preceding resurrection, urging readers to embrace a daily practice of surrendering self in preparation for our spiritual transformation.