And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. (Gen 2:8-9)
Here’s something to think about today. Our Creator could have simply given us what we needed to survive. He knew we would need what was “good for food,” but he could have given us the bare minimums and kept it bland. He could have created us without the need to even eat food. But take another look at Genesis 2:8-9.
Not only did God make what was “good for food” to spring up out of the ground, he wanted to give us what is “pleasant to the sight.” Think about that phrase for a moment. “Pleasant to the sight”–things we don’t eat or drink, things that are just enjoyable to look at. God has filled his world with delightful things.
In fact, that’s a good set of lenses to put on today. What has God designed, preserved, and made to flourish all around me that is “pleasant to the sight”? He could have created an entire world the shade of this morning’s oatmeal, but he gave us a matchless palette of brilliant colors, intricate patterns, and curious textures. Look around today. What do you see that is simply because your Creator willed it to be, and it continues to be “pleasant to the sight”?
Green grass. Pink dahlia blooms. Yellow sunflowers. Redwoods. Teal ocean water beneath an azure blue sky. The purple streak in a rainbow. Auburn autumn leaves. White snow. A dozen shades of gray in the same storm cloud. The fiery orange of the setting sun.
Slow down today, take a little while to tune out the manmade noise, and open your eyes. See. Be intentional. Really look around. His eternal power and divine creativity have been on magnificent display since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.
And once you soak in a few of those amazing things with your eyes, allow their ongoing testimony to incline your heart towards praise for the universe’s most creative artist.
O LORD, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom have you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures. (Psa 104:24)