How Nature Can Bring You Closer to God and Your Dating Partner
Over the years, God has used nature to tell me more about Himself and His great love for me. In nature I experience prayer very creatively, and the world He made speaks to my heart.
Nature is one of the most practical places where God brings me closer to Him, sometimes in ways I can’t explain.
This week, I would like to invite you to go out into nature and pray—and see what God tells your heart. Find something beautiful, and ask Him to talk to you about it. You might be surprised at what He says.
Looking at Nature and Seeing Jesus
A few weeks ago, my family and I had the incredible opportunity to visit the Galápagos Islands.
If you are unfamiliar with these islands, they are a part of Ecuador, my home country. This was not our first visit, but this time we had the opportunity to see even more of God’s beautiful creation.
We saw blue-footed boobies as they were hatching their eggs. The parents protect their offspring with so much care, but they somehow trust humans just to admire their work and not hurt them.
We saw sea lions and their babies coming to look at us. We didn’t touch them, of course, but they were curious and tried to get close to us. We also saw penguins.
I got to swim around sharks, and while we were snorkeling, my son and I saw the biggest manta ray. I was so shocked by its size and closeness that I didn’t know what to do, but thank God, it just kept swimming on its way!
We saw gigantic turtles, all different kinds of iguanas, and beautiful flowers growing near the ocean and mountains. We saw a number of practically untouched beaches as well as dry lands, wetlands, and volcanic lands with the most amazing views.
Those are just a few of the beautiful moments we shared together, nestled into God’s creation. The Galápagos Islands really are a paradise where you feel you can almost talk to the animals.
Every time I look at the sky in the morning and every time I look at the mountains, the stars, the biggest details and the smallest details, everything the greatest Designer of all has made—this brings me closer to understanding who He is and why He makes all these beautiful elements.
The Beauty of Jesus Displayed in Your Partner
The awesome thing is that you are the greatest creation of all and the completion of God’s love and creational work. The person you will marry one day is in this category as well, and when you look at them, you can see the One who made them with deep love. They are a part of the beautiful creation all around you.
When I think about prayers—my prayers, those of others, how God has answered so many of those prayers—I find myself thinking of these verses:
The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork. Day after day it speaks out; night after night it reveals his greatness. There is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard. (Ps. 19:1–3 NET)
For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. (Rom. 1:20 NLT)
Creation is speaking to us, and we will hear it if we will listen.
Even though the Galápagos Islands are a unique place to visit, wherever we live, we are surrounded by signs of God in nature. He has given us the wonderful gift of every morning. We can get up and look at the sky. We can see trees and flowers, maybe mountains and the ocean. We can see the animals, and we can see the special person the Creator has set aside to be our spouse.
You are made in His image, and the person you are dating is also made in His image. As followers of Jesus who are learning how to be more and more like Him, it is inevitable that we will put His characteristics and His heart on display for others to see.
When I see my husband, my kids, my mom, and the rest of my family, when I am deep in nature surrounded by His beautiful creation—I count it as Heaven on this earth. My prayers are answered, but even more, God’s character is revealed. He made us to know Him through His creation, through our family, and through our partner.
We Are Praying for Your Marriage
Here at Becoming the One, family is one of our greatest prayers. We are praying in the husbands and wives who recognize Jesus and want Him to be a part of their lives and marriage covenant.
God is good, and we truly don’t have any excuse not to see His handiwork. Let’s learn to recognize His life and goodness through His creation, because our heavenly Father is making Himself known.
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Your heavenly Father loves you more than you realize! Other articles from Salomé Roat and Becoming the One:
For more information on sex, marriage, and finding the person who is right for you, get a copy of Becoming the One by Salomé Roat. Click here to learn more. The book is also available in Spanish.