Issue 1661 High in the Trees January 31, 2025
Yesterday, Kathy and I strolled along a stretch of the Vedder Rotary Trail in Chilliwack. We arrived and departed via the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve. It isn’t Heron breeding season so there were none in sight there, although we did see some at various other places in our travels.
All the dark spots high in the crowns of the trees are heron nests. They were far from us, and my phone’s camera doesn’t zoom well. When it’s breeding season, those trees and nests are full of birds, and the sky sounds like dinosaurs screaming. What seems like buckets of excrement drop out of the sky onto the ground below.
Bald eagles often nest near the herons; even though it’s off-season, we saw two eagles sitting in the trees. Herons and eagles have a strange symbiotic relationship. The eagles are territorial, so only one will nest near the heronry. The eagles will eat heron young, but by limiting the number of eagles, the number of baby herons lost to predation is lessened.
Some people would wonder at the marvels of “nature.” I understand the feeling of wonder, but it isn’t “Nature” that we see. It’s the incredible creativity of our omnipotent creator God.
The world is full of people who worship the natural order. Their worship isn’t only short-sighted, as the world extends far beyond the so-called natural order of things. It’s also idolatry, as their worship isn’t of the one true God.
God didn’t give us the beauty of “nature” to worship. It was given as a signpost to point us to Him.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. Romans 1:18-26
I love to be outside and enjoy the marvels of what God has created. It can stir me to the core of my soul, but if it doesn’t point me to our Lord, it misleads, and I have no excuse.
Enjoy the creation and praise the creator.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
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Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
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