Nature: A display of God's endless love
This summer, I returned to my motherland, Zimbabwe, and I want to share my holiday experience. The aim is to thank and praise the Lord for His creation we often take for granted.
Zimbabwe has excellent tourist resorts including Victoria Falls, the Great Zimbabwe Monuments, the Nyanga Mountains, Mana Pools Game Reserve, yet many locals have never visited any of these places. For many years they have watched people from other nations come to their country to view this beautiful heritage.
However, for three days in August, my family and I were blessed with the opportunity to view Victoria Falls, to go on a Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River and the children enjoyed a Zip Line adventure that involves sliding down a cable across the deep Zambezi River gorge.
As I reflected on these things, I felt overwhelmed by the beauty of God's word, His goodness, majesty and handiwork. I asked Him, why are You showing me this amazingly beautiful sunset? Why did You create these awesome waterfalls? Why have You allowed my kids to go on a Zip Line and even protected them from any mishap during the adventure? Why are You showing us these hippopotamuses? What is this all about Lord and what response do You expect from me?
His response: It's not because I am wiser, have more money or am better than everyone else but because of His grace. He gave me more answers from the book of Psalms which says God has given "land" to all nations as "an inheritance" because "His love" for them "endures for ever" Psalm 136: 21 [NIV]
He made "the sun to rule over the day, for His steadfast love endures forever"
Psalm 136: 8 [ESV]
Oh Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom have You made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures
Psalm 104: 24 [ESV]
You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills
Psalm 104: 10 [ESV]
Our guide confirmed the truth of God's word when he explained, "more than 70% of the water in the Zambezi River which pours over the mighty Victoria Falls comes from a spring in the Congo!"
Awestruck by God's creation, king David began Psalms 104 and 136 by blessing, praising and giving thanks to the Lord for His "greatness, splendour, wisdom, majesty and for His love for mankind that endures forever". In Psalm 8, David concluded that God created all the things we see (nature) to remind us that He cares and is always mindful of His children. Like the Psalmist, next time we see the sun, the moon, the stars, birds of the air and lilies in the field let's respond by giving Him all the praise.
Farai Mutsambiwa
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