The Beauty of Creation

Dave and I just returned from a trip to Florida. While traveling by car, I kept thinking about creation.

We saw so many different shades of green. There was light green, dark green, yellow-green, gray-green, blue-green, and dozens, if not hundreds, of other shades of green. Then there were the flowers and flowering plants in countless beautiful colors. In addition to that, we saw the blues, greens, peaches, pinks, purples, and yellows reflected in the sky and water. Even the rocks displayed incredible variety, from the black rocks we saw along the highway in Mississippi to the pure white sand of Florida, with every shade of brown, red, and tan in between.

Google says there are millions of colors—a staggering number—and the Lord God made them all. Colors can be seen because of light. Genesis 1:3 says, "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. And God saw that the light was good."

We also saw so many different kinds of trees: deciduous trees (oaks, elms, etc.), pine trees, palm trees, flowering trees, nut trees, and fruit trees. There are approximately 70,000 species of trees in the world. Genesis 1:11–12 says:  "Then God said, 'Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth. And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit which is in their seed, each according to their own kinds.  And God saw that it was good."

We saw birds of many kinds, including a pelican, a sandpiper and a heron that walked around the pool fence for quite some time; clearly very comfortable around people.  It was great to see one up-close.

"And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly about the earth across the expanse of the heavens.  So, God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. " – Genesis 1:20

Along the way, we saw cows, horses, sheep, goats, turtles and when we got to Florida, we saw lots of dogs and alligators!

 "And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good." – Genesis 1:24-25

We saw creeks, rivers and of course the great expanse of the bays leading out to the ocean.  Genesis 1:9 –"And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.  And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together He called Seas.  And God saw that it was good."

Romans 1:19-20 says, “For what can be known about God is plain to them (the world), because God has made it plain to them. For His invisible attributes, namely His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.  So, they are without excuse.”

The point of all this is that God shows us His glory through creation. Can you imagine if God had changed creation after the Fall? I realize that we live in an evil and corrupt world, yet He still reveals His beauty. I described just a few examples above, but there are so many more—the beauty of a baby's smile, the smile of a loved one, a waterfall, the baby groundhog that visits our backyard, and on and on. God could have given us a black-and-gray world with nothing but rocks, lizards, and gnats. But He chose to show us His beauty, His graciousness, His mercy, and His magnificence through His creation and His love!

I think the proof is in this sunset picture I took in Florida—a masterpiece that God, our Creator, painted for us with His wonderful, eternal, and awesome paintbrush.

Click to View Image: Photo 

In Christ,
Dana