Part 1 of 5: What Benefits Come from Exploring Nature?

The CAN-DO Bible® Devotional Year 2 — Trimester 3 — Day 7

Photo by Jonny Clow on Unsplash

In my previous posts, I talked about how easy it is to fill our minds with constant noise. My go-to relaxation has been videos, entertainment, and the endless scroll of distraction. I shared my conviction that reading and reflection help us think more deeply and live more intentionally.

But even when we know that, it’s still a battle to do it.

Paul described his inner conflict in Romans 7:19, when he said, “For the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice.”

In the spirit of this understanding, I’m looking to God to help me focus on things that build me up, rather than those that draw me away from Him. And one of those things is exploring nature.

To be clear, when I say nature, I’m not intending to personify what God created. Nature is the culmination of God’s creation. It is not a goddess or an entity that exists outside of Jehovah.

With that stated, I’m starting a series of post with five benefits I find when going outside and experiencing nature.

The number one benefit of exploring nature is this: it draws me closer to God.

While God is everywhere, being in nature makes me vulnerable enough to recognize His presence without distraction. The majesty of His creation reflects how remarkable and powerful He truly is. Every sunrise and sunset is as unique as every snowflake. The colors, the smells, even the taste of fresh, non-recirculated air provide a kind of sublime wonder.

And it’s not just the beauty that stirs our hearts, but the awe — even the fear — that comes when I stand at the edge of a cliff or hear the crash of waves against the rocks. God’s creation reminds me how small I am compared to the one I profess to love so much. So today, as the sun rises over autumn-colored leaves. I inhale the depth of who He is and His desire to be in relationship with me.

To help this five-part series unfold, I’m going to do something a little different in the Meditation Music Moment that follows each post.

After the scripture and prayer that follow, I invite you to take a few minutes to go outside. When you find a quiet place, reopen this post. Play the instrumental piece I’ve selected (or choose one of your own). Then read through the verses while searching for one sentence or word that sounds personal to you. When you find it, close your eyes and meditate.

Inhale. Exhale. Commune with Him.

He Is Our Perfect Peace

Joshua 16:1–17:18

1 The lot came out for the children of Joseph from the Jordan at Jericho, at the waters of Jericho on the east, even the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel. 2 It went out from Bethel to Luz, and passed along to the border of the Archites to Ataroth; 3 and it went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, to the border of Beth Horon the lower, and on to Gezer; and ended at the sea.

4 The children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance. 5 This was the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families. The border of their inheritance eastward was Ataroth Addar, to Beth Horon the upper. 6 The border went out westward at Michmethath on the north. The border turned about eastward to Taanath Shiloh, and passed along it on the east of Janoah. 7 It went down from Janoah to Ataroth, to Naarah, reached to Jericho, and went out at the Jordan. 8 From Tappuah the border went along westward to the brook of Kanah; and ended at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim according to their families; 9 together with the cities which were set apart for the children of Ephraim in the middle of the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages. 10 They didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell in the territory of Ephraim to this day, and have become servants to do forced labor.

1 This was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph. As for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan. 2 So this was for the rest of the children of Manasseh according to their families: for the children of Abiezer, for the children of Helek, for the children of Asriel, for the children of Shechem, for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida. These were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families. 3 But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 4 They came to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the princes, saying, “Yahweh commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” Therefore according to the commandment of Yahweh he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father. 5 Ten parts fell to Manasseh, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan; 6 because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh. 7 The border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, which is before Shechem. The border went along to the right hand, to the inhabitants of En Tappuah. 8 The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh; but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim. 9 The border went down to the brook of Kanah, southward of the brook. These cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh. The border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook, and ended at the sea. 10 Southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea was his border. They reached to Asher on the north, and to Issachar on the east. 11 Manasseh had three heights in Issachar, in Asher Beth Shean and its towns, and Ibleam and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns. 12 Yet the children of Manasseh couldn’t drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

13 When the children of Israel had grown strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and didn’t utterly drive them out. 14 The children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given me just one lot and one part for an inheritance, since we are a numerous people, because Yahweh has blessed us so far?”

15 Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest, and clear land for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim; since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.”

16 The children of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us. All the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth Shean and its towns, and those who are in the valley of Jezreel.”

17 Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph, that is, to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, “You are a numerous people, and have great power. You shall not have one lot only; 18 but the hill country shall be yours. Although it is a forest, you shall cut it down, and it’s farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.”

1 Chronicles 5:23–26

23 The children of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land: they increased from Bashan to Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. 24 These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: even Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valor, famous men, heads of their fathers’ houses.

25 They trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the prostitute after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God destroyed before them. 26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and to the river of Gozan, to this day.

Romans 7:13–23

13 Did then that which is good become death to me? May it never be! But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, was producing death in me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceedingly sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin. 15 For I don’t know what I am doing. For I don’t practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do. 16 But if what I don’t desire, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good. 17 So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is good. 19 For the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice. 20 But if what I don’t desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me. 21 I find then the law that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present. 22 For I delight in God’s law after the inward person, 23 but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.

Meditation Moment

Dear God,

I don’t want to be weary in doing what is right. I want to obey Your word. And when I met people who don’t want to do that, help me note that and have no company with him, so that by the end my days I may not be ashamed. I’m not to count him as an enemy, but should admonish him as a brother, even as I need admonishment at times. Lord of peace, may You, Yourself, give us peace at all time in all way. Be with us all (2 Thessalonians 3:13–16).

Amen.

Meditation Music Moment

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