The Cacophony of Humanity

Psalm 19:1-2

I'm going to blink and this season will be gone. September and October are my favorite months. The sun streams through the green room windows and outside the dogwood berries show bright red against brown-tipped leaves. These days you have to make a conscious effort to enjoy nature around here. Construction vehicles are repairing the railroad tracks and the road is being widened. Trees are being cut down and trucks use "jake brakes" to roar to a stop at the light. I know there are birds and crickets out there, but it's hard to get past the cacophony of humanity.

As a shepherd boy, David spent many nights out on the quiet Bethlehem hills. He did not have to contend with the noise we do today. He wrote, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard."  I'm sure that was true then, but today it's hard to filter out all the racket.

Do you know a place where you can go to hear nature praising God? Is it naive to think that it's possible to get away from all your responsibilities for an hour once in a while to walk with God unplugged from all the trappings of technology? And, what about the laundry? That certainly won't get done if you go out for a while.

I am a nature lover. Can you tell? As more and more of the planet gets tattooed by pavement I think it takes more and more of a commitment to overcome what Richard Louv calls the modern epidemic of  "nature deficit disorder." I venture to say many people have no idea what I'm talking about in this piece. The best way to come to an understanding is to try it and see for yourself. Google "hiking trails" in your area. Get some sturdy shoes, a camera, a water bottle and your Bible. Consider this your invitation to go listen to nature's praise.