Every morning I go to the park nearby. It has become my meeting place with God over the years. I feel undisturbed and peaceful there and when I arrive I almost immediately start talking to God. The first words that come out of my mouth are usually words of praise and thanksgiving. Gratitude for the beautiful place He has provided for me. A place where I can rest and come to Him just as I am, and praise for His creation that obediently illustrates life and does what it was created to do.
Sometimes on my daily walks the vegetation seems to join in my praise and worship. And other times it seems like it's trying to comfort me when I'm in need of God's help.
The old hymn "In the Garden" comes to mind: "He walks with me and He talks with me". I can see His garden waking up in the spring and going to sleep in the fall. The colors He uses for His pictures are vibrant and comforting, and when you look closely, you begin to wonder if you have ever seen such colors before. Each season has its different sounds, smells, and images that are imprinted on my heart, soul, and mind so that I have a place to go when there is no park available.
The enemy is trying to rob us of these impressions of God. We are distracted by a world that is noisier than ever, an enemy that is more desperate than ever, and an arsenal of pleasures and indulgences at our disposal that no generation before us has ever seen. Our daily lives pull us in a thousand directions away from God's garden.
Sometimes on my daily walks the vegetation seems to join in my praise and worship. And other times it seems like it's trying to comfort me when I'm in need of God's help.
The old hymn "In the Garden" comes to mind: "He walks with me and He talks with me". I can see His garden waking up in the spring and going to sleep in the fall. The colors He uses for His pictures are vibrant and comforting, and when you look closely, you begin to wonder if you have ever seen such colors before. Each season has its different sounds, smells, and images that are imprinted on my heart, soul, and mind so that I have a place to go when there is no park available.
The enemy is trying to rob us of these impressions of God. We are distracted by a world that is noisier than ever, an enemy that is more desperate than ever, and an arsenal of pleasures and indulgences at our disposal that no generation before us has ever seen. Our daily lives pull us in a thousand directions away from God's garden.
God's Word is like His garden. When He tells us to focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8), He knows that we need these things as a shield to protect us from a world that wants to destroy us..
I want to focus on the good things around me. They are there for a reason. God is in them every day, every hour, every minute. And if there is no park for us to go to, God is still there where we are.
The beauty of creation is in the Creator Himself. My neighborhood park is a beautiful enclave for which I'm grateful, but God's garden is wherever God is. Let Him be with you always.
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