Growing in the knowledge of God through the beauty of creation

What is your favorite season? One of the websites I frequent asks me that question from time to time. When I was a sixth grade student growing up in Massachusetts, I was required to write an essay about my favorite season. At 11 years old my answer was that winter was my favorite time of year. However, when our family moved to north Florida in 1965 there really was no winter. The summers were hot, and that was alright. But, it seemed those summers lasted forever. So as a child in Florida, spring, with all the flowering shrubs and trees, became my favorite season.

I think most Alaskans cherish the short, lush summer with long hours of daylight. And, I do truly enjoy the blessings of summer. But summer is not my favorite season. My favorite time of year in Alaska is fall. I truly enjoy the crisp autumn mornings and warm days.

For a person who enjoys fishing, I think the autumn fishing in Alaska is the best. The lakes are full of hungry trout that have grown fat with the summer supply of bugs. And, usually the streams have a supply of silver salmon. There are more coho in the fall than Chinook in the spring and early summer. But, as school starts, or hunting begins, the streams become empty except for a few die-hard fishermen. So, there are more fish to catch and less competition in catching them. How could it be any better?

Fall also is hunting season, when a person can get out in the woods and enjoy God’s creation and the company of friends. You can’t see the northern lights in the summer because of the long hours of sunlight. But often the sky flashes colors in the fall nights. The show can be especially beautiful when a person is out in the woods, away from the cities and towns, camping during fall hunting season.

And, fall is the time for Alaska berries! When I am hunting and walk along in the woods there are often cranberries to give a burst of liquid to my mouth. And sometimes blueberries to offer a sweet treat. Not to mention the raspberries that fill the vines in my garden.

Some may say that in Alaska we do not have the maple trees found in New England and the upper Midwest, nor do we have the brilliant color of these trees. But, have you ever sat in the Alaskan woods while hunting and watched the sun drop below the horizon? When the last light hits the yellow on the birch and aspen, these trees can almost give light like a lamp in the forest. And the fall undergrowth is full of the red leaves of cranberries and fireweed plants. Maybe, like me, you have driven north in the fall and just let the yellow and red splashes on the mountains take your breath away!

What brings the beauty of the Alaskan fall to mind is a “show” I saw last week. On Thursday evening, Sept. 8, I was mowing the lawn and the mountains turned a deep rose color as the alpenglow caused them to glow. And clouds were hanging above the mountain peaks, as clouds often do, and these clouds displayed various colors and hues of light as well. It looked like a light show from God! I couldn’t help but think of the words of Psalm 19, “1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.”

I think that in Alaska, with the beauty of nature surrounding us, the words God inspired David to write are especially true. The skies “declare God’s glory!” Creation displays and gives knowledge!

God also inspired St. Paul to write something similar in Romans 1. In Romans 1, verse 20, when talking about ways that people can know about God, Paul wrote, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” The splendor and beauty of nature display the qualities of God, our Creator. We can see His power, His Wisdom, and His glory as we look at creation around us.

But, thankfully, we not only have nature revealing the natural knowledge of God, we also have God’s Word revealing the grace and mercy and love of God. God’s people have often spoiled our Lord’s creation with our sin that dishonors God and hurts our fellow human beings. But, the greater glory and wonder of God is that He loved us enough to send His Son. God the Son Himself, took on human form in the person of Jesus. In Jesus God pays for our sin and misdeeds and gives us new and eternal life in heaven by His grace, through faith in Jesus.

The beauty of God’s creation fills my soul and takes my breath away. But, the mystery and wonder that our righteous God loves sinners like me enough to suffer, and to die, and to rise for me still surprises my mind and melts my heart. This “revealed” knowledge of God is found in Scripture. And, study of God’s Word often starts up again in the fall when churches get back into the school-year schedule. The beauty of creation teaches me regularly about the wonder of my creator. But, the study of God’s Word fills my heart with His love.

I pray that God reveals Himself to you this fall through the beauty of the creation around us. And, I pray that you take time to study God’s word with others and that He reveals Himself to you this fall even more through Scripture. The knowledge of our Creator, our Savior, and our Comforter brings peace, and joy and life!

Jonathan Rockey is pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer. This column is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman or its parent company, Wick Communications.