Time To Go Home
When is the last time that you went outside with the sole intention of just being still and taking it all in – the sights, sounds, smells, and feel of it all?
Life is busy, hectic, and hard, and if we don’t make time to stop and replenish our souls regularly, we will find ourselves in a very dark place wondering how we got there and how in the world we will ever get out. I know that people have different ways to replenish their souls. Some people soak in a hot bath. Some people go get a massage or facial. Some people spend time with friends or family talking long into the night. Some people drown themselves in worship music. Everyone has their own opinion on what is replenishing to their souls, but there is one thing that is the same for everyone that God gave us for this purpose…nature.
“Nature can bring you to stillness, that is it’s gift to you.” – Eckhart Tolle
Spending time in nature forces a pause in our otherwise hectic lives. The constant motion of life is exhausting and leaves us weary and struggling to breathe. Nature is the space that God created for us to stop and breathe in. It is His gift of quiet, stillness, and peace, and it is always available. We were not created to live at the pace that we live in today. There is a rhythm of life that God created from the beginning for us to live in, and so many of us miss it. So many of us have allowed the sneaky little serpent known as the world to creep in and convince us that living in a constant state of busyness is a good thing. We have been convinced that the busier we are, the more successful we are, and that is simply not true. God set the rhythm of life for us in Genesis when He created the world and everything in it. He worked for six days and then stopped. On the seventh day, He rested. On the seventh day, He paused. On the seventh day, He was still.
This theme of rest runs throughout scripture. It is not just reserved for the creation story. The concept of rest seems to have special meaning in scripture. Genesis talks about God resting on the seventh day (2:2, 3). Exodus talks about the Sabbath as being a day of rest for Israel (31:15). Leviticus says that the Promised Land was to be able to rest every seventh year (25:4). Both 1 Chronicles (28:2) and Psalms (132:8,14) say that the temple is to be the Lord’s resting place. This is not just an Old Testament idea. The word “rest” is mentioned 44 times in the New Testament as well. As you can see, rest is not only necessary, but commanded of us in scripture. Getting out in nature will make you pause and can bring you to the stillness required for the rest that is commanded of us.
“Nature itself is the best physician.” - Hippocrates
Before you give up on me here, I need to tell you that I am a firm believer in modern medicine. I am not opposed to manmade treatments and cures for illness. I do, however, find the connection between sunshine, natural fruits and vegetables, water, and the human body absolutely fascinating!
Did you know that one of the most common causes of a headache is dehydration and that drinking a tall glass of water at the onset of a headache will often alleviate it? Water also plays a key role in preventing muscle cramps, regulating blood pressure, and flushing your body of chemicals and toxins that don’t belong there. Water. This thing that covers most of the earth that God created, this thing that seems so insignificant to us because it is so readily available, this thing that has always existed since the beginning of time is incredibly powerful when it comes to our overall health. We use it to wash ourselves and our food before we eat, and we use it to flush our bodies from the inside out after we eat as well.
Did you know that there are only 2 vitamins that your body can make on its own? One of those is Vitamin D (the other is vitamin K). Vitamin D is required for your body to absorb calcium which means that it is essential for strengthening bones. Studies have shown that there is a link between a deficiency of Vitamin D and depression and anxiety. The most crucial function of Vitamin D however, is maintaining a functioning immune system. Vitamin D activates the production of T cells in the body which are the “killer cells” that detect and destroy foreign pathogens in the body like viruses.
Do you know what one of the best ways to get Vitamin D is? Sunshine. Just 15 minutes of sun exposure a day is sufficient for your body to produce Vitamin D. Just 15 minutes of being outside in nature feeling the warm sunshine on your skin is all you need to boost your immune system and ward off anxiety and depression. Amazing. Scripture tells us not to worry 365 times, that’s one time for every day of the year. But God doesn’t just tell us not to worry, He gives us an incredibly powerful tool to fight against worry and fear right here in nature. The sun. That orb of light that He placed in the sky to govern the day on the fourth day of creation. It is just one more piece of nature that we take for granted because it is always there.
“The contemplation of nature can free one of the ego – the great troublemaker.” – Eckhart Tolle
Have you ever gone out in nature and just observed all the life going on around you? I was on one of my greenway walks recently and stopped to watch some birds skirting around looking for food. There were two of them, and they seemed to be working together to find food while chirping back and forth at one another. I stopped a little further down to watch some tadpoles in the creek. There must have been at least fifty of them swimming around in this little pool of water. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed at the thought that there are entire worlds existing right in front of me, and so often, I miss them. Life is happening all around me. Life that is bigger than me. Life that isn’t all about me and my world.
Animals live completely by instinct. God made them a certain way and that is how they live. They trust that their Creator knew what He was doing and go with it. They also trust that their Creator is going to take care of them just like He promises. Spending time in nature is a great reminder that we are just a small part of God’s creation. Observing how He continually cares for the plants, animals, and trees is a great reminder that we can trust in Him to provide for us as well. Being out in nature is just the wake-up call that we need to remind us that it is not about how hard we strive or how much we hustle, God is the one that ultimately meets our needs, not us. Being put in our place in this way brings the peace that scripture talks about that transcends all understanding and refreshes the soul.
“A walk in nature walks the soul back home.” – Mary Davis
Another theme that runs throughout scripture is remembrance. We are told to remember God’s faithfulness and remember God’s promises. We are told to remember who we are in Christ and what Christ has done for us. Nature helps us remember. Nature takes us back to the beginning. It reminds us who we are and just how small we are compared to how big God is. It reminds us of our need for God’s provision and His faithfulness in providing for us. It forces us to pause and beckons us to be still.
God longs to meet us in nature. He wants to walk with us through His creation. That is the reason He created it. He created man and placed him immediately into a garden. He placed him in nature. God met him there and walked with him there. When sin entered the world, mankind was removed from the garden. We have a longing deep within our souls to get back to that place. To get back to the garden. To once again be able to meet with and walk with God in His creation. I believe that is why nature is so healing for us. I believe that is why we need it so badly.
Don’t just take my word for it. Go outside and experience it for yourself. Drink in the delicious fresh, crisp morning air. Listen to the sounds of the birds at sunrise singing their morning wake-up songs. Drown out the chaos of life with the sounds of the birds, bees, and wind blowing through the trees. Let your eyes be overwhelmed by the beauty that is right in front of you instead of the crazy, impossible schedule that is written on the fridge. Taste something amazing in its raw, real, original form. Feel the warm sun on your skin and feel the cool breeze as it blows through your hair. Go meet your Creator today. Walk with Him through His creation and allow Him to open your eyes and your mind to the wonder of it all.