The heavens tell about the glory of God. The skies show that his hands created them.
Day after day they speak about it. Night after night they make it known.
Psalm 19:1-2
How would you like to wake up to this view every morning?
Palisade Head on Minnesota’s North Shore
Or this?
North Carolina’s Lake Adger in the fall
When we’re surrounded by the great outdoors, our hearts naturally lean toward God. We’re wrapped up in reminders that God is a master of design.
Nature is one of the best ways to point our children towards God. In creation lies proof that He is God. “For all the gods of the nations are idols,” says the psalmist, “but the LORD made the heavens” (Psalm 96:5). In other words, one of the biggest distinctions between the true God and false gods is that he has creative power. He spoke and the world came into existence” (Psalm 33:6).
But it’s not just the spectacular that shows God’s glory. The small, sometimes-overlooked details shout his glory too.
Small details and design
A natural bouquet on the forest floor
Tiny ripples dance in front of a pastel sky
You can show your kids God through the details right in your own backyard. Impress your kids with some of God’s “wow”. Dazzle them with mind-blowing facts about creatures and nature and connect them to faith and God.
3 Steps to connect kids with God through nature
- “What” factor – Make a list of what you encounter every day–animals, insects, nature sights. Here’s what my list looks like: acorns, ants, squirrels, clouds, deer, chipmunks, owls, green frogs.
What do you see in nature around you every day? - “Wow” factor – Used a quick internet search to pair them with amazing facts, like I’ve done below.*
What’s something incredible about the everyday thing in nature? - “God” factor – Finally, show how those amazing details point back to God.
What does it say about who God is?
Here are examples from my own backyard
ACORN
Use this acorn to show your child that God can do the impossible
You could say…
“God can stretch this acorn into this towering oak tree. He can do what seems impossible (Mark 10:27), like provide the new pair of shoes you need for school, give you a new best friend, change a bullying heart into a sensitive heart.”
ANT
Everything this ant does is done with order in mind
Or you could say,
“Every ant has a special job. The queen ant lays eggs. The worker ants feed the larvae. They all have different assignments and a certain order. God is a God of order not chaos (1 Corinthians 14:33).”
SQUIRREL
Have you ever seen a squirrel flying through the trees?
You can say,
“Have you ever watched a squirrels perform acrobats? They fling themselves from branch to branch and can leap off a roof, catch a bird feeder on the way down by its claws and pull themselves up for a tasty treat. The same God who gave them acrobatic skills gave someone like you the skills to turn a somersault, run a relay and perform a cartwheel.”
CLOUDS
Clouds above Lake Superior near Grand Marais
Say,
“What do the clouds look like today? Are they puffy and fluffy or long and stringy, glowing or dark? One day Jesus will come back in the clouds. Everyone will see his power and glory (Mark 13:26). What do you imagine the clouds will look like on that day?”
God really is in the details. When you’re biking, hiking, hanging out at the beach, sitting around a campfire, fishing at the dock, canoeing the lake, help your child see God’s glory in the great outdoors around them. Point out the amazing detail God put into creation and the amazing detail he puts into caring for each one of us.
What are some everyday things you see outdoors?
How can you use them to point your child to God?
*Be sure to use reputable sites like those ending in .org, .gov or .edu
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