God’s Amazing Awe-inspiring Spring Season

Spring is the time of year when new growth abounds. I am constantly amazed whenever I drive through town or walk down the street and see new life, witnessing first-hand the beautiful creation God has given us to enjoy. The beauty of God’s creation is something that can be easily overlooked if we rush too fast on life’s path. But the budding of leaves and opening of flowers is so amazing we should not allow these miracles to pass without taking time to be amazed at the beauty of God’s gift to us.

Spring helps me connect with God

I was inspired to write in my book Spring: Connecting with God because I enjoy the season so much. Spring is a time when I see the work of God as nature springs back to life. From the budding of the crocus to the opening of the daffodils, forsythias, Azelias and fruit trees, the amazing drama of nature’s rebirth brings me to give thanks and praise to the author of life. That is connecting with God.

Spring is my favorite time of year, so it’s not surprising that I have a garden. I turned my garden, but still need to turn over the soil at my mother-in-law’s home. I already have kale and spinach planted. I will also plant lettuce, tomatoes, green beans, beets, cucumbers, okra, watermelons, pumpkin, and squash.

During the dry time of winter, I begin to think about and prepare for the change of season. I do this by turning the dirt in my garden before the end of winter rains makes my garden to mud. Because I have plowed dead leaves, manure and nutrients into my garden, it is ready to receive seeds when the earth turns warm. In time the seeds begin to sprout, and I am amazed again as a dry shriveled bit of plant comes to life again, and life begins anew. I thank God.

The words of psalms

Across the years, I have discovered that I am not the only one that connects with God through the rebirth of creation. I read the works of King David, who marveled at the creation while he herded sheep and wrote:

“The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts. The trees of the Lord are well watered,  the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.” Psalm 104:12-16

I could allow the distractions of life to deflect the beauty of creation (many do, as they are obsessed with their busyness); I could take all this for granted (yep, every year the same … it is programmed in like clockwork); I could attribute it to a simple function of biology (or botany); or I could, as they say, take time to smell the roses. It is the last that I choose to do.

Disconnecting from God

While I encourage each person to appreciate the beauty of this world … and of life, I do not tell them to drop everything, even the distractions that come from duty and work. Those must be completed. King David did the difficult work of the shepherd, but he still recognized God’s hand in the world and in the work he did. While we must do work, we can never let it overcome us, or we become boring.

The lesson of this blog, and of the book is that we must understand and regulate the distractions in life so we never lose our connection with God. Our relationship with God is much too precious. Our Father who art in Heaven is our guide and our protector. God is holy and both knows and holds the future. If we continually praise Him, think about His ways, and talk to our creator so the Lord can guide us in life, we will develop that close connection that will guide us when the waters of life are troubled.

Taking Time for God

As you go through the day, take time to smell the roses, and see the colors, and stand in amazement of life springing forth before us. Remember our  Creator: for the gifts we have been given. This  did not happen by evolution or by accident, but by God’s own intention to share His love with us.

The book Spring: Connecting With God takes a look at life, and the things that will draw us closer to God and push us away from our Creator. It takes time, going through the Bible to evaluate the good and the bad, and can help people to live life without the distractions.