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by Nathan Buck

When you see a tree, or a flower, or a particularly eye-catching fern – what crosses your mind?

I mean after you appreciate its cool, beautiful, or mesmerizing appearance, what thought comes next? Do you just go on to the next item in your day? Or do you stop and wonder about how that life form got there?

Do you think about how all of its cells work together to give it shape, and keep it alive? Do you reflect on the theory of evolution and wonder what this life mutated from – or is mutating into?

Have you ever pondered the growth of something? Not just the mechanics of growth, but the unique ability to GROW! Seed becomes sprout, become seedling, becomes juvenile plant, becomes reproductive organism that thrives, provides food or shade or pleasure, and spreads its seed to give life to other organisms.

GROWTH is transformation, from a seed, to a life form. GROWTH is amazingly resilient in the face of adversity. GROWTH is steady unrelenting progress toward maturity. GROWTH is uniquely beyond our control to cause.

Think about it. Even with genetic manipulation of plants and animals, we can create all kinds of things. We can even bond pesticides to plant DNA (which in my opinion is a major health hazard). But for all that we can create, all that we can stimulate, we cannot CAUSE growth.

No one can claim they made something grow – it is a uniquely Divine activity. Only God causes growth.

I love to walk in my garden in the summer time; it’s actually a time of reflection and worship for me. Sure I did a lot of work to prep the soil, kill the weeds, fertilize the seeds and plants, but I cannot cause anything to grow. So, each day when I can see another leaf grow, another vine or branch or flower, another fruit or vegetable, I recognize it is God at work. God is CAUSING growth to happen in the life forms He designed.

Why is this an important thing to reflect on? It reminds me, that I am not God. It’s a simple, observable, natural law that indicates there is a power beyond me who brings life. That power revealed Himself through creation, and through directly interacting with people. God almighty is the LIVING God. Only a living God can provide life and growth. And He revealed his love and plans for relationship with us, through Jesus Christ.

Take a moment to read and reflect on Psalm 104.
- Pay attention to how many things are uniquely from God’s provision for us.
- Do you give God credit and thank Him for all that He has provided?
- Do you even acknowledge God can and does provide our very existence?

I pray that God’s Holy Spirit will meet with you as you read Psalm 104 – and that you will grow.