October 9, 2012 – A fall road trip took us across the country in a direction we’d never traveled. Amazing desert vistas lay ahead—more wonderful than we’d imagined.
My husband and I had decided to take our daughter’s car to her at college— a 1300-mile-journey from our Texas home. The trip would be a visit, vacation and delivery job all in one.
We crossed southern Arizona on a perfect day, with an azure sky in brilliant contrast to autumn-tinged grasses and wildflowers. We passed massive boulders perched randomly among cacti and yucca. They seemed misplaced on the desert floor. Had God tossed them over His shoulder after carving out some distant canyon?
Mile after mile, we marveled at the scenery. It struck me that such incredible landscape exists through ages of time, for anyone to behold, yet many of us never get around to it. I realized we’d never have seen those panoramic views if circumstances hadn’t drawn us that way.
The trip made me think of scenic places of the world we could see—if we set our minds to it. That would mean sacrifices of time, money and other involvements. It would take some intentionality.
Our days are so swallowed up in the common activities of living that we miss out on the spectacular. Years after that drive through the desert, I haven’t made much progress in seeing the world and its wonders.
But I’m not missing out on magnificence. I’ve become intentional about taking advantage of the most amazing opportunity ever: “God with us.” His presence offers a vast supply of peace, joy, comfort, strength and love.
The Creator of all beauty invites us to behold his glory. Like the psalmist, I find that “splendor and majesty are before him . . .” (Psalm 96:6). In Christ I discover the deep riches of wisdom and knowledge of God (Romans 11:33). In the Bible, I marvel anew over the perfection and power of verses I’ve read countless times. (Would anyone tire of gazing into the Grand Canyon?)
I still love to travel—especially to the mountains. But more and more, I see the truth of the words from Hannah’s song of praise: “There is no rock like our God.” (1 Samuel 2:2).
Blue Ribbon News special contributor Patti Richter works as journalist, writing news and feature stories, book reviews and more for many Christian publications. She lives in Heath with her husband Jim.
Read more by Patti Richter:
Straight ahead – in the wrong direction
Heat and Ice: God’s Hot-Cold Therapy for Spiritual Stiffness?
God’s not-so-random acts of kindness
Of Snakes & Pumpkins: even a perfect fall day is made better with prayer
To submit your news, events, or a guest column, email editor@BlueRibbonNews.com.
Beholding wonders added by Editor on
View all posts by Editor →