Spending Sabbath time outdoors can be a meaningful way of experiencing God’s presence. The poem “God’s Grandeur” by Gerard Manley Hopkins expresses well the truth that God’s presence is readily experienced through nature: “The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil.” In addition to simply walking in a wood or gazing at the stars, you can increase your experience of God by looking at creation in a more contemplative way. This is a form of Lectio Divina, but rather than meditating on Scripture, we meditate on the wonder of God found in creation (this would be called Visio Divina, “divine seeing”). Here is a brief explanation and guidelines from Restore Eden that explains how to apply the steps of Lectio Divina to contemplating the presence of God in nature: Lectio Divina: Reading the Book of Nature.
Blessings,
Dave Higle
Director of Clergy Development
Education & Clergy Development