The Beauty of the Earth

By Marilyn Travis

It occurs to me that we are greatly blessed to live where we live. I was going to write about my daily walks with Elwood, my chihuahua. I was going to describe the beauty of the pines and the scent of the wind blowing through them. I thought about describing the deep blue of the sky and the distant snow-capped mountains. Perhaps, I should describe the the songs of the birds and barking of the dogs. Then there was the happy gait of Elwood with his floppy ear bouncing and little tail up in the air as we strode down the roads of our daily journey. There is more than just this though to describe and think about.

This afternoon I watched a couple of episodes of Our National Parks and I was enthralled by the beauty and majesty of Olympic and Yosemite National Parks. I also watched a short documentary about how much beauty and history there is in forgotten places in the plains. I realized God has blessed us with so much more than the beauty of our neighborhoods and the surrounding countryside. He created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, then placed us here. The perfect habitat!

Job 12:7-10

But ask the animals and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?

Dante said, “Nature is the art of God.”

When I am surrounded by the glory of God’s creation I want to sing! The first two verses of For the Beauty of the Earth come to mind:

For the beauty of the Earth,

For the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies

Lord of all to thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour

Of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale and trees and flower,

Sun and moon and stars of light.

Lord of all to thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise.

Another song I’ve been singing as I walk is Morning Has Broken. I invite you to listen and watch this lovely rendition by Cat Stevens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we-n-Zmglt0.

Psalm 96:11-12 makes a beautiful prayer and meditation:

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them, let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.

Amen!