The words to the familiar hymn begin, “For the beauty of the earth,….” Those words create a mental slide show of snow-capped mountains, flower filled meadows, pastel sunsets, rainy mornings and snowy evenings. The beauty of the earth is all of the above, but it is also the mathematical precision of an atom, the double helix of DNA, the infinity of numbers, the curve of a normal distribution and the tenacity of life. Our heliocentric solar system with its balance of gravity and distance that enables us to safely fall in yearly cycles dazzles the mind. Einstein’s theory of relativity, Feynman’s quantum physics and Sagan’s cosmos are layers of beauty unfolding a depth of artistry far beyond the hand of Michelangelo.
In Ecclesiastes 3:11 Solomon wrote, “He (God) has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” All this beauty that surrounds us is the handiwork of the creative artistry of our heavenly Father. And He has created us to see, taste, feel, hear, and fathom this beauty.
Written by Roger Bothwell on July 31, 2000
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org