Observers of natural beauty

[New World Explorer]

Many  of us live in concrete jungles of this system of things, nature seems as a far away dream ...but even despite those limitations, we can look for Jehovah's creative beauty no matter where we live...

Question: Do you personally take time to appreciate creation?

How do you do that?

 

How to See the Beauty Around Us
“In all languages, one of our earliest expressions is ‘let me see!’”—William White, Jr.

Since the beauty of God’s creation is everywhere, it isn’t necessary to travel hundreds of miles to behold it. Awe-inspiring scenery may be distant, but impressive art can be found in your neighborhood if you look for it and—more important—if you know how to look for it.
It has often been noted that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” However, although the beauty is there, not everyone will spot it. It may take a painting or a photograph to make us sit up and take notice. In fact, many artists believe that their success depends more on their ability to see than to draw. The book The Painter’s Eye, by Maurice Grosser, explains that “the painter draws with his eyes, not with his hands. Whatever he sees, if he sees it clear, he can put down. . . . Seeing clear is the important thing.”
Whether we are artists or not, we can learn to see more clearly, to notice the beauty around us. In other words, we need to go out and look at things in a new light.

But what should we look for? We could start by learning to notice the four basic elements of beauty. These elements can be discerned in almost every facet of Jehovah’s creation. The more often we pause to observe them, the more we will enjoy his art.

In Bible times servants of God took a special interest in creation. According to 1 Kings 4:30, 33, “Solomon’s wisdom was vaster than the wisdom of all the Orientals . . . He would speak about the trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that is coming forth on the wall; and he would speak about the beasts and about the flying creatures and about the moving things and about the fishes.”
Perhaps Solomon’s interest in the glories of creation was partly due to his father’s example. David, who spent many of his formative years as a shepherd, often meditated on God’s handiwork. The beauty of the heavens particularly impressed him. At Psalm 19:1, he wrote: “The heavens are declaring the glory of God; and of the work of his hands the expanse is telling.” (Compare Psalm 139:14.) Evidently, his contact with creation drew him closer to his God. It can do the same for us.
As these godly men knew, recognizing and appreciating God’s handiwork uplifts the spirit and enriches our lives. In our modern world plagued with prepacked entertainment that is often debasing, taking note of Jehovah’s creation can provide a wholesome activity for ourselves and our families. For those who yearn for God’s promised new world, it is a pastime with a future.—Isaiah 35:1, 2.
When we not only see the art around us but also discern the qualities of the Master Artist who made it all, we will doubtless be moved to echo David’s words: “There is none like you . . . , O Jehovah, neither are there any works like yours.”—Psalm 86:8. Awake 95 11/8 (many parts of the article were cut down - for full version follow the link)

Other Bible writers, such as Agur and Jeremiah, were also keen observers of natural history.—Proverbs 30:24-28; Jeremiah 8:7.

 

 

 

[Ahuvah]

Sometimes, those of us who live outside the concrete jungles take our surroundings for granted ... beautiful reminder for all of us to be appreciative - thanks Greg.

 

*Looks outside her window ... bare trees, grey skies, big raindrops ... beautiful!! Jehovah made warm cosy beds too didn't he? (indirectly).

[Miss Bea]

I have to say, I am spoiled. We live in an area that tourists flock to, to see. We have the redwoods, the ocean, yes, the sky! Regularly I thank Jehovah for the beauty of his creation. 

I’m going to try to post what I see, as I type this. The birds you see on the window, are things that reflect so the birds can stop hitting our windows. Some live. Some don’t. And, since I’ve put these, plus some other decals on the windows, in weeks, and weeks, we have only had one bird hit the window. I suspect it was one I could not get to. Second story. I guess he lived. I could not find him. 

Back to the creation. I do not take it for granted. I travel to the meetings through a river gorge. (Trinity River) It is so dramatic, and beautiful. (We live where the Trinity and the Klamath River intersect, and the Trinity becomes part of the kal And I pray about not being on the bluffs above the river if we have an earthquake! 

I think of where I live, Jehovah’s creation, as a paradise, and I try to imagine how much more glorious it will be under Christ’s kingdom. 

Edited August 8, 2019 by Miss Bea
Can’t upload text. Not, “kal”, but Klamath

[JennyM]

8 hours ago, New World Explorer said:

Many  of us live in concrete jungles of this system of things, nature seems as a far away dream ...but even despite those limitations, we can look for Jehovah's creative beauty no matter where we live...

Question: Do you personally take time to appreciate creation?

How do you do that?

 

How to See the Beauty Around Us
“In all languages, one of our earliest expressions is ‘let me see!’”—William White, Jr.

Other Bible writers, such as Agur and Jeremiah, were also keen observers of natural history.—Proverbs 30:24-28; Jeremiah 8:7.

I live on a mountain and I miss the sunrise and the sunset that looks like orange on the horizon. 

[coony77]

When the sky is clear, I can see lots of stars at night. For me, this is one of the most fascinating aspect of creation. That awes me most of all. I feel like a grain of dust in the universe. 

 

Also the colours of a beautiful sunset always impress me. 

 

And I often "study" details in the movements and behaviour of my cat. There is so much to discover there, that I wonder how many things about creation are still waiting to be explored by us...

Eternity surely will never be boring. 

 

 

Edited August 9, 2019 by coony77