Max Lucado calls nature “God’s first missionary.”* And it’s true, isn’t it? So many things in nature cause me to think about God whenever I see them.

One sight  that never fails is glorious redwood trees. The first time my husband and I saw them, we stepped from our car at John Muir Woods, north of San Francisco ~ and began whispering. Later we both described that moment as feeling as if we were in a cathedral. Those gentle giants inspire awe in me.

And studying them this week, I learned an astounding thing~

Redwood trees, though hundreds of feet tall, have very shallow roots—perhaps 5 or 6 feet deep. 

Did you know that?

So how do they stay upright over the centuries?

Though shallow, the roots stretch wide, sometimes 100 feet from the trunk. The trees thrive in groves where the root systems intertwine, sometimes even fuse, and actually hold each other up.

Think of that. Inanimate trees, designed to hold each other up. A picture of inter-dependence. A picture of humans woven together in families and communities. Of humans’ need for God to hold us up. Nature can’t help but speak about God ~

Standing on a beach and feeling the powerful waves reverberate

The view from high on a mountain with the quilt of land below

The glory of a sunrise or meadow of flowers

The majesty of a sunset or a whale playing

The tiny intricate jewel-like view of grains of sand

A shawl of stars flung across the sky

I’m grateful God gives us peeks at Him through his creation. Vision to learn about him. They are such tiny slivers, certainly. But still, they speak to us. For me, they comfort. Strengthen. Encourage.

What particular aspects of the natural world speak to you about God?

photos copyrighted 2016

*Grace for the Moment, April 25