Not long ago, my wife and I vacationed in California and spent two days hiking through the Redwood National Forest. This experience was awesome in so many ways. First, to walk among trees—some of which are more than 2,000 years old—was a humbling experience. The height and girth of many of these trees was also beyond comprehension, and there was a sense of timelessness as we stood among the living things. Then there was the silence itself—often solitary experience with no other people within earshot.
Taken as a whole, the giant redwoods of California offer a spiritual experience and are visible reminders that God still can impress us with the natural wonders of creation. The psalmist of old (Ps. 19, especially) reminds us of this awesome display of grandeur.
Indeed, there is something to be said for finding our renewal and our spiritual recharge among the natural world. If we are feeling dry and used up, perhaps a change in scenery is in order. If we have grown weary of trying to find God inside church buildings and stale offices, a walk in the woods might be just what we need. Or perhaps we need a walk on the beach and feel the wind in our sails.
When it comes to ministry, we all need those awesome experiences outside of ourselves to remind us that God has been at work for eons. God’s work began long before we came on the scene and will continue long after we’re gone. We dare not get too full of ourselves or dream too highly of our own importance. Renewal comes when we set our own egos aside and bask in what is.
Where might you find refreshment in God’s world this week? Where are you being awed and inspired?
