Creation Calls Out
The summer after Covid, when things in Arizona began to open back up, my youngest son Trevor played in a big baseball tournament. It was highly competitive, with teams from several states present.
There was one game in particular where the opposing team started in the field. Once they began to field ground balls, I could not take my eyes off the shortstop who physically stood out from all the others. This kid was incredibly graceful and fluid as he fielded the ball. When he threw it, he fired it across the diamond with a velocity I had never seen from a high school student. Everything was so natural—he just made it all look easy.
When the same young man stepped into the batter’s box, it was the same story. His swing was smooth yet powerful. Not to mention, once he hit the ball, he ran like a deer. I was mesmerized watching him because he was so much better than everyone else.
He stood out so much that my curiosity got the best of me, and I had to find out more about him. I approached some of the parents of the other team to ask his name and what they could tell me. Turns out he was an All-American and later drafted in the first round by Tampa Bay.
I tell that story because over the past couple of months, I have been absolutely blown away by the beauty of God’s creation. Without words, just being able to experience the beauty of this earth draws me closer to the God who created it. Like the baseball player who stood out among everyone else and captured my curiosity, as I have had the opportunity to experience so many elements of God’s creation this summer, I have been amazed and drawn to the God behind it.
I have had the privilege of walking over the Pyrenees Mountains and across the varied landscapes of Spain. I have swum in the Mediterranean. I spent seven days rafting through the Grand Canyon and then sleeping under the stars, staring at the heavens above me. I snorkeled and scuba-dived off the island of Fiji. I hiked to a remote waterfall. I ziplined through a tropical forest. And as I write this, I’m sailing across the Pacific, preparing to visit the Great Barrier Reef. All I see in every direction is open, endless blue waters.
In all of these experiences and so many more, I keep thinking of these words from the Apostle Paul: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)
Creation is, in many ways, a visual testament to the existence and glory of God. While it doesn’t tell us the fullness of God or communicate the complete gospel, it points us toward the One who made it all. It inspires curiosity and worship (Psalm 19:1).
I realize that my experience this summer is unique—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Yet I would encourage you, whether you’re sitting on your patio, looking out the window of your kitchen, or driving home from work, to take a few moments and look at God’s creation—the landscapes, the birds, the colors, the skies. Allow creation to inspire you and stir curiosity inside of you.
You don’t have to hike the Pyrenees or sail the Pacific to see God’s artistry. Creation’s beauty is everywhere—sometimes in grand landscapes, sometimes in the shadows of your own backyard. All it takes is a pause, a look, and a heart willing to be amazed. Let the wonder lead you, as it did Paul, to the God whose fingerprints are on everything. Follow the beauty back to its Source—because the God who made it is even more breathtaking than what He created.
