Beyond Creation

More joyous than new day's precious song,
More beautiful than colors painting sky and earth,
Is the the shudder my heart feels when it is with
He with Whom it belongs,
Experiencing release and ecstasy of soul's new birth.

I wrote that short poem upon returning from a walk a few days ago. Spring is in full bloom here in New England. My senses were inundated by the unrestrained beauty of God's Creations that seemed to be singing out "Holy Holy Holy is our Lord God Almighty!" as His glory rained down among all who opened the eyes of their hearts to see.  His glory saturated the clovers in rich green and made the buds brim to nearly bursting with the promise of new life. Tulips, adorned by a vibrant array of colors, stood tall and erect, lifting their petals up high in praise.

Walking down the trail I noticed carpets of thick, lush moss lining the face of the cliffs where intermittently water would come rushing down their sides, caught in the many crevices and trickling down into the stream below. Dropplets of water, when caught in midair between sun and stream were like a rainbow of translucent pearls; treasures for the eye to behold. 

Treasures. Blessings. A million of them, surrounding me everywhere, on the earth,  in the sky  and everywhere in between. I thought of my gratitude journal I have been writing in, the goal of jotting down one thousand blessings and how I could imagine going far being a thousand.

I could probably sit all day if given the chance in a shady nook by the river's edge and meditate on the presence of God all around me, singing His love song to us through and around Creation and within our very souls. I couldn't help but contemplating, no matter how beautiful nature is...wow, God is even more glorious, more beautiful. The very "stuff of life" that causes me stop in my tracks, wondering at the glory of the Creator it reflects, is still a mere reflection of the total reality and magnitude, of the holiness of God. Wow. God is immense! God is an awesome God indeed.

That very conclusion was what conceived the above prose. For more beautiful than anything we can herald in nature, is God. Further still, the Love God has for us, the love which ignites the fire of the Spirit within our heart's temples, is even brighter than any midday sun. More diverse and beautiful than the colors that line the world's robes are the many facets of God-His faithfulness,  Love, grace, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, humility-they shine through the world and man's hearts brighter and more colorful than any supernova. His love is better than life. His love holds life, sustains life, is life pulsating His glory  and presence. To acknowledge the creation is to acknowledge the Creator, but to know the Creator within your heart goes even beyond all of that, it solidifies a reality that is truly transforming. It goes beyond just admiring creation to accepting a reality that changes our hearts forever, cleaving us to the Spirit, making us one with God and whole in His love.

I came across this passage today just as I was about to write this post and I found it compatible to what I'm trying to express.

Every time you feel in God's creatures something pleasing and attractive, do not let your attention be arrested by them alone, but, passing them by, transfer your thoughts to God and say: "O my God, if Thy creations are so full of beauty, delight and joy, how infinitely more full of beauty, delight and joy art Thou Thyself, Creator of all!

~ Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain

When our hearts our touched by the beauty of nature, may that spur us on to give praise and adoration to the love Creation reflects. The great incomparable and infinite love of God. The very love that rests in the center of our hearts waiting to be awakened, and if already awakened, nurtured by the eternal waters of His mercy and grace and the manna of His Word.


Any thoughts? I'd love to hear them! Please leave them in the comments section. Thank you!