Through Nature to Nature's God

[Daily Devotional]

Through Nature to Nature's God 

     But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither
have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared
for them that love him. 1 Cor. 2:9.  

     If our hearts were softened and subdued with the love of God they
would be open to discern His mercy and loving-kindness, as expressed to
us in every shrub and in the profusion of blooming flowers which meet
our eye in God's world. The delicate leaf, the spires of grass, every
lofty tree, is an expression of the love of God to His children. They
tell us that God is a lover of the beautiful. He speaks to us from
nature's book, that He delights in the perfection of beauty of
character. He would have us look up through nature to nature's God, and
would have our hearts drawn out in love and affection to Him as we view
His created works. . . .  

     God designs that the scenes of nature should influence the children
of God to delight in the pure, simple, quiet beauty with which our
Father adorns our earthly home. Jesus tells us that the mightiest king
that ever swayed a scepter could not compare in gorgeous array to the
simple flowers that God has clothed with loveliness. . . .  

     We must be preparing for the white robe of character, in order that
we may pass within the pearly gates of the city of God to a heaven of
bliss. Revelation presents the scene--fountains of living waters, rivers
that are as clear as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and the
Lamb, trees of living green growing on either side of this river of
life. . . .  

     We have in the glorious things of nature a mere shadow of the
original which we shall see in their full loveliness in the Paradise of
God. Let us learn the precious lesson which God designed we should. He
who careth for the simple flowers in their season, will He not much more
care for you whom He has created in His own image? Look upon these
things of beauty. God prepares and clothes them with a robe of
loveliness, and yet they perish in a day. All these earthly, temporal
beauties are to be appreciated as the voice of God speaking to us of the
treasures and glories of the unseen and the eternal.  

>From That I May Know Him - Page 148