Flowers, Butterflies & Sunsets
In today’s downsized, economized, lowest-bid-gets-the-job society, it seems interesting that we have elements like flowers, butterflies and sunsets in our world. Why did God choose to make them? When He created the world out of nothing, He could have chosen vegetation without blooms, brown and black insects to further the ecosystem and colorless clouds to end each day. But He went out of His way to add unique touches of His hand – to add interesting shapes and creative hues to brighten our world. Color was clearly a priority!
Why do we need color? Why do we need variety? Why does our heart soar when we see a lovely, unique flower, beautiful in its own way, whether a tight bud or a flowing blossom? Why do our emotions swell at the dramatic oranges, golds, purples and blues of a sunset? It would have been much less work to design colorless oceans, squatty mountains and ho-hum sunrises.
But where would that leave us? What would it be like to live in a black-and-white, boring grey world? Perhaps we might not miss what we never knew — but how grateful I am that we will never know such an existence. I love color, and depth, and height and variation. It is part of who I am. My soul responds to these intrinsic elements. I long to relate to God in the world He fashioned for us.
In His infinite wisdom, God created humans to long for, and relate to, beauty. He made hearts that quicken at the sight of a sunset, souls that hearken to the sound of a cello, and minds that awaken to the sound of a baby’s laughter. Beauty is part of God. We respond to beauty because we invisibly and silently reach out to the part of beauty that is God’s presence.
Our soul recognizes the part of God that exists in the things of His world that are beautiful and inspire awe. We reply with sighs, deep breaths and “Ah-ha moments” that are too profound for words. We are moved. We rejoice; we weep. We celebrate! We are never the same again.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 proclaims, “God has made everything beautiful in its time; He has put eternity into man’s mind, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from beginning to end.” Over the ages since creation, the intrigue of the mystery of God is what has kept mankind longing to know Him, more deeply and intimately. We desire to relate to His presence and His beauty. We long to know Him and the riches of His glory. His mysteries fascinate and intrigue us.
May we never forget who the source and author of beauty really is — God Almighty, the imaginative creator of the universe and our faith. Thanks be to God for his magnificent works!