Pandemic Practices: Thoroughly Savoring God’s Creation

I’m more citified than countrified. That’s not to say that the lone prairie, a chicken fried steak or a melancholy Willie Nelson ballad never dazzle me. But I’m more of a French dining and Flamenco dancing kind of girl when the rubber meets Fifth Avenue. Yet I’m becoming surprisingly passionate about one of my new pandemic practices, thoroughly savoring God’s creation.

Urban Renewal

So like a snake with a skin ready to be shed, the urbanite in me underwent a metamorphosis during the shut down. Exercising, shopping, dining, grooming – all that previously took place primarily indoors. Suddenly, out was really “in.” Boxed in inside our homes, my hubby and I felt the urge to break out. I rediscovered my backyard. Birds offered up frenzied songs of joy. Flowers emitted a sweeter, headier fragrance. Homegrown tomatoes burst forth from our soil and delighted all our collective senses. Al fresco candlelight dinners under the stars reignited all kinds of passions.

We essentially took a trip and never left the farm, as lyricist John Bowman once penned. But we didn’t need any contraband to make that happen. All we needed to do was tap into the euphoric cornucopia to enjoy the fruits of God’s magnificent creation. Even though those sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures were always available to us, we now experience them with a renewed measure of zeal.

A Sensual Rewakening

Some of you might be snickering right now. I know who you are, you people who make pies from scratch. You have two green thumbs and can totally rock that gingham and pigtail thing. Yet this new seduction of nature I experienced involved something far deeper and more mysterious than mere appearance.

It was as if the Lord is leaving a series of beautiful calling cards just for me. His love letters appeared everywhere. I reveled at the sight of a meadowlark with its deep black and yellow plumage set down on a white sandy beach. I became intoxicated by the fragrant red roses proliferating in the parched garden of my son’s backyard. My husband and I inhaled the juicy beefsteak and cherry tomatoes bursting forth from the soil. So we savored their goodness as if they were precious rubies from the booty of a starry-eyed pirate.

Yet it was the gentle brush of my lover man’s hand on a summer day enhanced by a fresh cool breeze that reminded me how important a sensual touch can be. It was then I realized how completely out of touch I’d really been – in so many ways. I’d neglected to open God’s many gifts to me in many areas of my life. So I set my intention to gravitate toward the bounty of His natural goodness and away from the things of this world.

Man Vs. Nature

I began to compare and contrast. Did the cleverly designed storefront windows at Tiffany’s captivate like the dramatic opening of my palm-sized pink peonies? Not even close. And the cold air of the empty mall couldn’t hold a candle to the gentle ocean breeze meandering over the white capped waves of our local bay. I was suddenly on the outside looking in and in some ways understanding for the first time what it meant to really “taste and see that the Lord is good” as we read in Psalm 34:8.

I’m far more inclined to dive into God’s word to experience Him than I am to sit outside and marvel at His creation. Yet during the pandemic I’ve learned that simply taking in the ideas of God isn’t the same as experiencing him through my senses. So many non believers complain that God cannot be seen, felt or heard, among other things. But His glory is manifested in His creation and designed to delight every sense. God’s word actually states that because of creation, mankind is without excuse in knowing there is a God! (Romans 1:20.) However, it isn’t God’s fault we don’t experience Him. It’s our responsibility to open our own eyes to see Him in all the ways He intended.

Bullcrap Shutters

Our busyness and our agendas so easily crowd the things of God out, don’t they? And we also have to take into consideration our dwarfed attention spans. Our culture reveres all things instant. Sound bytes, tweets, GIFS and emojis all condense our communications. As a result, our ability to concentrate becomes further impaired as we are presented with fewer opportunities to strengthen it. Like a muscle  not exercised, attention atrophies.

My husband’s old boss married a frustrated woman. Sadly, he rarely gave her the gift of listening. In fact, she playfully accused him of drawing his “bull crap shutters” tightly closed when he’d had enough of her conversation. (She actually used stronger language but I’m cleaning it up for you here!)

I think about the shutter metaphor from time to time. And in applying it to this scenario, there’s a certain irony. In our hurried lives, we sometimes shut out everything around us to focus on what we think is important. Sometimes, misguided priorities can center around the wrong things and crowd out the right ones. Yet if we fail to pore over the precious valentines God sends us in His creation, we shut out one of the most beautiful communiques He uses to express His love for us. Essentially, we close ourselves off to them and open up the chute to release the proverbial bull crap. And obviously, that is the last thing we want!

Words and Music

As a result, we should strive to be more fully attuned to God’s words and the music of His creation. Only then can we benefit from a powerful interaction with Him, incorporating both essential elements. Here on Earth, His creation stimulates our senses in a variety of ways. And we also know that all of His creation is something He “richly gives for our enjoyment” as stated in 1 Timothy 6:17.

When we set our intention to embrace His natural valentines, we experience God in a way that satisfies a very deep human need. Join me in partnering with God to fully experience all He has to offer us this side of eternity as we wait for Him to “make all things new” as He promises in Isaiah 43:18.

Photo Credit: Flash Alexander