Walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers
Matthew 6:28 MSG

Today is World Environment Day, and this year’s theme is connecting people with nature. That’s an important idea – if we don’t really engage with the natural world, we won’t appreciate it. And if we don’t appreciate it, we won’t look after it.

It’s also a spiritual idea. If God made the world, then we should expect to find God in it. Jesus certainly did.

The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ most famous sermon, and it’s the best summary of his teaching. He talks about worry, honesty, prayer, anger, and not judging others. And he repeatedly draws lessons from nature. (You can read the whole thing here)

Here are some of the references to nature from that one sermon:

• The earth: heaven and earth, sun, rain, wind, sand, rock, floods and storms
• The body: heart, head, hands, face, eyes, teeth, cheeks
• Plants: trees, lilies, figs, grapes, grass, thorn bushes and thistles
• Animals: birds, fish, sheep, wolves, dogs, pigs, snakes, moths

It seems that Jesus was an outdoors kind of person. He certainly noticed the world around him, and observed the weather and the wildlife. He let it speak to him about God, and he invited others to look for God in nature too.

Why not mark today by stepping out into nature, whether that’s a garden or a park, or some local woodland. Be still for a moment. Invite God to speak to you through that place. Invite the place to speak to you about God.

Jeremy Williams is a writer, blogger, and founder of Earthbound Ventures, which finds new ways for people to connect with nature. If you need a regular dose of wonder, check them out here.