creation

From God’s perspective

Have you ever stopped and marveled at God’s creation? Surely, a beautiful sunny day, an amazing sunset on the beach, or even the antics of your favorite of God’s creatures have given you pause for a thank-you to God. But what about all of creation all at once? 

Starting from the largest, there is the universe. Being large and all-encompassing, it’s easier to get the mind focusing on something smaller, like a galaxy. Even there, with so many planets and stars, perhaps it’s better to look at just one planet. If you choose to pick something other than Earth, you may think there is less to be thankful for. A planet is rather large and contains its own atmosphere, so do you start there or start down at the planet surface?  If you’re envisioning  just a bunch of rocks, have you considered the minerals that make up those rocks? And going down yet more levels until you get to the atoms that make up those minerals that make up the rocks. But we know that even atoms are made up of protons and neutrons. Every time science seems to come up with the smallest pieces of what makes something up, there’s a discovery that goes down even further. 

From the universe to the tiny, eenie-weenie subatomic particle, God is the creator of it all. God’s perspective is both the big picture as well as the most miniscule of details. His hand and reflection is in everything that he created. Being a finite human, it’s hard to comprehend the vastness of it all. It’s like trying to see the beauty of a single rose when you’re looking at a garden the size of the ocean. We can’t look at either the entirety of the universe or a subatomic particle, even if we had the best microscope in the world to see it. As humans, we need to pick a focal point. When we take a picture, there may be more than just what’s in focus in the picture. We see it, but not in its entirety. It’s a mere slice of the whole of God’s creation.

God freely shares all of creation with us. A rock gives glory to God just by being a rock, and a bird, just by being a bird. “Are not two sparrows sold for next to nothing? Yet not a single sparrow falls to the ground without your Father’s consent.” (Matt 10:29) God does not just make things and then sit back to eat bon-bons. He is ever watching over and interacting with all His creation, but especially men and women, who He made in His own image. “As for you, every hair of your head has been counted; so do not be afraid of anything. You are worth more than an entire flock of sparrows.” (Matt 10:30-31) 

While we may not be able to see things from God’s perspective, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pause to soak in the myriad of life He authored. It’s humbling to consider and at the same time, it’s like a cozy hug, knowing that God knows and loves you even down to every hair on your head. Nothing is too small for God’s notice.

Catholic Girl Journey

Rainbow formula

There are two ingredients required to make a rainbow: water and light, or more specifically, rain and sunlight. If we want to see a rainbow, we cannot complain about the rain.

Shortly before I finished my workout, I could hear the water pounding on the roof of the facility. My umbrella was tucked neatly in my car across the parking lot. I was hoping that the storm would pass and I could wait out the rain, but after checking the weather app on my phone, it didn’t seem promising. I got drenched walking to my car. Although the ponding on the roadway played havoc with my nerves, I was able to navigate safely home. When I turned down my street, even though it was still raining, the sun came out — bright and shining. I laughed at the contrast between the two opposites occurring at the same time, thinking that God certainly has a sense of humor. Just as I was about to turn into my development, across a backdrop of dark skies full of rain, the rainbow appeared.

I wanted to just stop and enjoy the moment, but I think any drivers behind me would not have appreciated it. I tried keeping an eye on it as I wound my way through my development, but as soon as I parked, it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared. The rain was much lighter now and reminded me that rainbows require rain. After a day of mostly rain, it can be easy to get caught up in the challenges of our daily life and especially those things that don’t go the way we want them. It’s like the weather is a physical manifestation of our daily struggles. But the rainbow, because it is made of both rain and sunlight, reminds us that even during trials and challenges, there can be bright spots of sunlight that produce gifts like rainbows.

As I walked from my car to my door in the light rain, it didn’t seem to matter much that it was still raining. God had tickled my funny bone with the rain and sun display, and topped it off with a rainbow. Whatever challenges I’m dealing with, God brings His light to them all and transforms them into something beautiful. With God at my side, I can make it through any rainstorm.