God’s Self-Portrait

     I grew up in Beckley, West Virginia. Beckley is a medium sized town in the coal fields of the Appalachian Mountains. These mountains gave birth to the likes of Senator Robert C. Byrd, and athletes Jerry West and Randy Moss. We were not nearly as redneck as everyone thought, but every time a major network would find a newsworthy story from our area, they would always manage to find a toothless hillbilly well-versed in the art of double negatives to represent us. I guess images and perceptions have some truth to them; however, these images never perfectly represent the reality.

     I was surrounded by natural beauty. I spent much of my childhood in the woods behind my house catching frogs and snakes, building a dam or a fort, or playing with my Siberian Husky, Gabriel. When I wasn’t exploring the natural world first-hand, I was reading about it in a book or dreaming about it while at school.

     Now I live in a city of 700,000 in a metro area of about 2 million. I miss the woodland wonders of my childhood. Just a few days ago I had the opportunity to go on a hike through the woods with my four year old daughter, Hannah. I wanted to teach her to appreciate the natural world in the same way I learned as a child. My wife made the mistake of telling us to watch for snakes. As a result, I had to carry Hannah most of the way. Pausing to catch my breath every few minutes, I inhaled the scents of spring and listened to the chatter of the forest. My mind cleared; my sanity was restored. I felt at home.

     As a child I didn’t talk to God much; instead He spoke to me through the wonders of nature. I absorbed the unspoken revelation and it forever set me on a path of love for beauty and a desire for nature and God. I see more beauty in the wing of a butterfly than the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. I say this as one who loves art and believes that it too, can be an imperfect reflection of the beauty of God. A centuries old oak inspires more awe in my mind than a towering skyscraper. I can only imagine what it would be like to stand beside a giant Sequoia that has been around since before the time of Christ. Spending time in the woods makes me a better husband and father at home and a better teacher at work. It provides a needed balance within my soul.

     I know that it is theologically correct to say that God is everywhere present; in my experience I perceive His presence more vividly in nature. Though the infinite cannot be comprehended by the finite, I think that God’s creation is as close to a self-portrait of the Creator that we have. In nature there is diversity within unity; order within chaos; time within eternity. There is purpose and design; insight and improbability; beauty, brilliance, and grandeur; lights triumphing over darkness; reasons to both fear and feel at peace. There is a mystery in both God and nature too deep and profound to dissect or calculate. It is a mystery that heals, loves, comforts, and inspires.

     Some might suggest that I go too far in my analogy and that the Bible is God’s self-portrait. Actually, I see neither as God’s self-portrait, but I believe that nature does picture God in ways that words cannot. Of course it could also be said that there is much imagery in the Bible using words that pictures alone could not communicate.[1] Both are important in having a fuller picture of God. I also believe that because God is infinite, both are inadequate at presenting a perfect, full picture of God. I’m not saying the that Bible is inadequate in its purpose; its purpose is to the reveal certain things about God and His dealings with humanity, as well as His will for our lives and how we can come to know Him. The Bible fulfills its purpose perfectly. Its purpose is not to perfectly reveal everything there is to possibly know about God. So let none of us think too highly of ourselves—that we have a perfect understanding of God, whether we are getting our information from the Word or from the woods.[2]

     I look at my beautiful children and wife and remember that the Bible teaches that humans are made in God’s image. If nature reveals God, then humans, as a part of nature, reflect His personality, love, and desire for relationship. What good is the beauty of nature if there is no one to consider its wonders? There are times that I want to be alone in nature, but I always desire to go back to spend time with the people I love most. For me, all of this is about a soul connection with humans, nature, and God. This relational trinity is God’s design. We are not alone or without purpose in the universe. We need not pretend to be alone nor act as if we don’t need each other. Part of our purpose is to bring completion to each other through our relationships. This understanding and experience of the inter-relationship between God, nature, and man brings peace and fulfillment to my life.