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Recognising His Handiwork

One of the most stunning trees at the moment is the wattle. The yellow stands out and is beginning to bloom all over the place. Apparently across Australia there are so many different varieties of wattle that there is hardly a time when there isn’t one variety or another in bloom.

It qualifies well to be our National flower. I believe that this is where our national sporting colours of yellow and green come from. There is nothing drab about what God has made. It is all good and full of so much colour that we cannot escape the conclusion the He wants us to enjoy His creation.

Of course there are many other varieties of trees, plants and flowers (not to mention fruit trees and vegetables) given to us to enjoy.

A sense of awe and wonder is not only right when we glimpse God’s handiwork but is good for us. It is right to praise and speak well of our creator who has done all things well. We can cultivate, farm and pick the flowers but we cannot create them. But awe and wonder is good for us. Not only because “smelling the roses” is a welcome aside from the demands of a busy life but because it reminds us of our proper place.

We are creatures made in God’s image. Someone once remarked “that God made us in His own image and we have returned the compliment making a god in our image!” When we do this we are the losers. To either play God or ignore Him we diminish ourselves. A sense of awe and wonder at His creation, whether it be the vast universe and galaxies, the intricate aspects of the human eye or the humble ubiquitous wattle, keeps us from pride and reminds us that we live as guests in God’s world.

“Go the green and gold” is an oft repeated cry from Australian spectators. A far more reliable and helpful cry from us spectators of God’s handiwork would be the words that are at the old East Adelaide fruit and veggie markets “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” (Psalm 24:1)