God Is in Nature
Yael Eckstein | August 13, 2023
The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. — Psalm 29:3
We start out every week with an inspirational lesson from the beloved Psalms. For centuries, these ancient poems of King David and others have been the foundation for Jewish and Christian worship. Enjoy!
One of the things that I truly enjoy about living in Israel is the natural beauty that surrounds us. It’s not uncommon for families to take to the hills for hikes or visit the nearby beaches or the stunning beauty of the blooming desert. God’s masterpiece is all around us—if only we would take the time to notice it.
Nature is a great way to experience God—and the Psalms remind us of that in multiple ways.
Psalm 29 speaks about the glory of God. God’s “voice” is mentioned seven times in accordance with seven different things that His voice can do. According to Psalm 29, God’s voice controls stormy waters; it is powerful; it is majestic; it breaks trees; it causes lightning; it makes deserts shake; and it strips forests bare.
God Is in Nature
In other words, God communicates with the world through natural phenomena. In this case, we are talking about natural disasters like tsunamis, earthquakes, tornados, and the like. Most commentaries believe that this psalm is a prophecy for how God will fight against Israel’s enemies during the end times. However, the message for us right now is that God is in nature, so we had better pay attention.
Many people have often wondered why God picked Moses to be His chosen leader. However, when we look at the Bible, the truth is that in a way Moses chose God. According to Jewish tradition, the burning bush through which God communicated with Moses for the first time had been burning as others walked by it. The difference is that Moses stopped to look at it. He was attuned to nature and sensed that there were important messages within.
God sends us messages through all of nature. He makes natural disasters, but He also creates wonders, beauty, and sustenance. He is the God who makes trees and fruit grow, who makes flowers blossom, and brushes through our hair gently with the wind.
Once there was a little boy who told his father that he wanted to go out to the forest to pray. “But God isn’t any different in the forest, you know,” said his father. “I know,” said the boy. “But I am.”
This week take some time to go out in nature, even if the only way you can do that is by looking up at the majestic sky. This is a great way to come closer to God, hear His “voice,” and heed our calling.
Your Turn:
Where do you connect with God’s voice? Share your answer in the comment section below. I’d love to hear from you!