I want to commend the sentiments of the country song, “I Saw God Today.” This particular song (sung by George Strait) tells the story of a man who stops to notice a flower that has managed to come out of the concrete of a sidewalk. He later sees a man and woman walking hand-in-hand. He notices the certain glow in the woman, and can see that she is beginning to show with child. Then, he goes back up and presses his nose against the glass of the nursery and sees his little, newborn girl. He calls her a “miracle.” Throughout the song he clearly states that he reads the Book and goes to church, but that he often forgets to remember that God is there.
I know that the birth of a child is not a “miracle” in the biblical sense, but it should never cease to amaze us, and to make us so very thankful for what God has created in nature. Further, it is not the case that all of nature is God, as some would say. Yet, the fact is that the composer of this song has a very accurate idea in mind. We live and walk around every day without noticing all of those things that cry out that they have been fashioned by the everlasting love, kindness and power of God. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” While we cannot know God’s true nature and will except through His revelation of Himself in the inspired writings, we can certainly recognize Him as revealed to us through the things that He has made (Romans 1).
My wife, Barbara, and I stepped outside today to look at the different flowers that she plants in our yard. The breeze was blowing lightly, and the sounds of the newly arriving birds of spring could be heard all around us. Plants that we thought had died were coming back to life. Others were already blooming with beautiful flowers. Bees filled the bushes next to the house. The cycle of death being revived in life was in full process. Every part of nature was working in perfect harmony, each part obeying the unheard and unseen commands of the mighty Hand that made them. I said to my wife, “Don’t you just love spring?” She replied that it was probably her favorite time of the year.
The sad thing is that all too often we are far too busy to see the beauty and to hear the symphony of all the world around us that declares our God. I do believe that we “hear God” in the nature around us, and that we “see God” in the eyes of the newborn – one who is born with that within him or her that is eternal, in the image of God. God shows Himself to us representatively through those things that He has made.
I hope that I will always see God through those wonderful things around me. I held my grandson this morning and looked into his laughing eyes. When I looked at him, I really can say that “I saw God today,” shining through the eyes of that little one that I love.
Let’s look for the message in the world around us that God is there, and that He has blessed us so very much. Let us not forget to “see God today!”
