I was so excited when my good friend brought me a framed photo from a professional photographer for my birthday recently. It was of a turtle popping its head up out of the shallow waters of the Great Barrier Reef. Not only was the framed photo fantastic to admire, but it evoked a treasured memory of my holiday in the Reef. My friend wrote on the back of the photo, “When nature invokes wonderment from us” and I couldn’t agree more. There is something about creation, something about nature that invokes and evokes a sense of wonderment and joy within us that ultimately leads us back to the Creator. 

I have to admit, I’ve never been a sporty girl. School sports invoked emotions of dread within me as a teenager because the P.E. teacher (who was wearing a full tracksuit, gloves, and a beanie) made us play hockey on an icy, snow-covered field in the middle of an English winter until our bare legs resembled two ice poles. Not being that sporty, I did, however, become good at dodgeball, which means, I was good at dodging the hockey ball every time it came near me because believe me, if by chance one of my cold, numb fingers was hit by that hard hockey ball there would have been a real possibility one of my fingers would have completely snapped off. Like I said, I’ve never been that sporty. 

However, since holidaying in Tasmania last year and taking up a spot of hiking there, I have found something has awakened within me. A sense of wonderment and discovery has invoked emotions, better emotions, and a far less traumatic experience than my bygone school P.E. days in England now I live in Australia, and have filled my cup time and time again. I now enjoy hiking with my husband and I enjoy nature and all that it offers to me along the trails. Also, because I’m a cheapskate, the great thing about hiking is that it’s a sport that doesn’t require much equipment. A decent pair of hiking shoes, a rain mac, a backpack and a good trekking pole are all that is needed and you’re set for an adventure.

The Latin root word for invoke is “call” and a sense of God calling us, wooing us to experience the wonderment of nature ultimately leads us back to His heart. And whether we admit it or not, our curiosity longs for the Garden of Eden once again. Our eagerness to see the beauty the Garden offered us beckons, calls, invokes, and evokes memories and feelings that we have long since forgotten. We were fashioned by God as the crowning glory of His creation and right before Adam and Eve were deceived by the serpent, the ‘call’ of wonderment that invoked a deep, loving relationship with the Creator suddenly turned into the ‘fall’ of man that severed and broke God’s heart.     

And yet, all is not lost. If we leave the clutter behind of the big smoke and head into the wild, listening out for the call of God, the Who reveals Himself to us in nature, our ears will be attuned to the sound of His heartbeat. In the book of the Song of Songs, in between its pages, there is a sense of a dancelike wonderment that encircles two lovers, invoking and stirring emotions within us as we read. ‘He is like a bouquet of henna blossoms – henna plucked near the vines at the fountain of the Lamb. I will hold him and never let him part.’ [Song Of Songs 1:14. TPT] Or what about this, ‘Our resting place is anointed and flourishing, like a green forest meadow bathed in light. Rafters of cedar branches are over our heads and balconies of pleasant-smelling pines.’ [Song Of Songs 1:16- 17 TPT]

‘I will hold him’ Such words invoke wonderment from us because the ones who pay attention to the call on the wind will find Him, will hold Him, the Creator of it all, the One who calls you by name and says, ‘You are Mine.’ [Isaiah 43:1] 

So, why not carve out some time and go see a bit of nature this weekend? Come away with Him to a quiet place where your wonderment, joy and longing are settled in His love. And who knows, you may discover something in nature that is asking you, dear friend, ‘Have you found Him – my heart’s true love?’ [Song Of Songs 3:3 TPT] 

Wendy xo 

Have you seen a beautiful sunrise, a flower, or a turtle and a sense of wonderment of nature washes over you? Do you see nature and all that it offers invoke a longing in you to get to know the Creator more? 

I pray today that the child-like sense of wonderment will stir within you once again as you listen to the call of God to come away and discover more of Him within nature and how His creation calls you to hear His heartbeat. Amen.