I love sunsets. There is something so special about seeing colour and texture painted across the sky in everchanging iterations until it fades into the night sky and the stars gradually come to life. Where I grew up, I was able to get onto the roof via our trampoline, and I would sit there and just watch and be without any distractions and enjoy God’s handiwork. Every sunset is unique and amazing in its own way, some subtle in its pastels, others immensely vibrant.
I have always felt a connection to God through nature, whether in the bush for a walk, trail run or mountain bike ride, out four-wheel driving with friends and family for the day or sitting around a campfire with mates. From watching the smallest insect go about its day, to admiring the grandest view or from the smell of a gum leaf to the sound of a trickling creek meandering over moss covered rocks, this is the most tangible connection I have with the one who created it all and it brings peace and joy to my soul.
One evening, quite a few years ago, I was watching an episode of The Simpsons, the one where it was looking into Lisa Simpson’s future and she was stood-up at the altar by her husband-to-be, and Reverend Lovejoy got up in front of everyone and said “This would not have happened if this happened in the walls of a church rather than in the cheap showiness of nature”. Wow! “The cheap showiness of Nature”? Unfortunately in many people’s minds, the man-made walls of a building had actually become more ‘holy’ than the magnificence of God’s prized Creation.
The way I see it is that God’s Creation is the original chapel, the perfect place that we were able to walk and talk with God in person. And while it isn’t perfect any more, we are still able to seek Him, meet with Him, and walk with Him there, in His garden.
That’s why this community is called Trail Chapel.
The definition of ‘Trail’ is “A mark, series of signs or various pieces of information left behind by the passage of someone or something that together show where that someone or something you are searching for is”. Also; “A path through countryside, mountain or forest areas”.
A Chapel is defined as “A special place or sanctuary of Christian worship used for meditation or prayer that is not connected to a sole church or denomination”.
I love that. Even though we can’t physically walk with God in person, we can spiritually, and the signs of His creativity, His care for us and ultimately His love for us are all around us. Psalm 19:1 says:
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.”
There are so many studies that have been undertaken in recent years to show how important and therapeutic it is to disconnect from the busyness of day-to-day life and spend time surrounded by the natural world. This is on so many levels, which we might explore in future blogs. But for me, it is clear that this is because we were created to be in relationship with our Creator and that a perfect place to do this is in His garden.
Nick Weatherstone