View of the Atlantic ocean from a beach in Ghana. (Photo Credit: Me)
Nature
What do the beach, the sea and the skies mean to you? How do you feel when you are at the beach and you gaze at the sea? How does a spectacular sunrise or sunset make you feel? In enjoying nature, what comes to your mind?
We can associate the beach, the sea and the skies with many things.
Firstly, the beach, the sea and the skies symbolise the beauty of creation by God. When we look at the glorious vastness of the sea, we appreciate God’s omnipresence. Furthermore, when we regard the relentless force of the waves against the shore during a storm, we appreciate God’s omnipotence. Also, when we admire the countless grains of sand on the shore and the numerous stars in the sky, we appreciate God’s provision of abundance in our lives.
The Methodist Hymn Book number 35 by Folliott Sandford Pierpoint expresses the beauty of God’s creation perfectly. The first stanza is as follows:
“For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies,
Gracious God, to Thee we raise,
This our sacrifice of praise.”
The beach, the sea and the skies also symbolise freedom. As such, their vastness gives us a feeling of unlimited potential and endless possibilities. Thus, we feel at peace with nature and we are emboldened to take up new challenges. Creativity therefore soars.
Sunrise, for its part, fills us with hope. Hope for a new day and hope for the future. Thus, in enjoying nature, we praise the Lord and thank Him for all His gifts. This is also beautifully expressed in the first stanza of the Methodist Hymn Book number 29 by George William Conder as follows:
“All things praise Thee, Lord most high;
Heaven and earth and sea and sky,
All were for Thy glory made,
That Thy greatness thus displayed
Should all worship bring to Thee;
All things praise Thee : Lord, may we.”
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Those are some beautiful shots of yours For me, the beach typifies the duality of life……….turbulent and yet so calm; two sides of the same coin…… ‘in the very temple of delight, veiled melancholy has her sovereign shrine’. Life and living it is not all about doom and gloom but also about creation and opportunities. We all go through our periods of calmness and turbulence and that’s an important lesson about life we must accept so that when we experience these phases, we graciously go through each being fully persuaded that this is only but a passing phase.
Nature is King and Queen.
It is rejuvenating just to sit or lay in peace taking in the silence and beauty of the various elements that nature has to offer.π·π·π·
It is indeed π
So calming and soothing π π
Unlimited potential and endless possibilities π
I never stopped to look at nature that way. Brilliant symbolism Heidi. Thanks for sharing.
You’re most welcome, Shadia. I’m glad you enjoyed the article π
And thanks for the compliment π
Unlimited potential and endless possibility π
Oh wow, I never stopped to look at nature this way. Thanks for sharing Heidi.
Endless possibilities indeed! β¨οΈ
Indeed nature is beautiful. It tells us how wonderful our God is and teaches us so many lessons in life.
That’s so true π
We thank God for the beauty of creation π β¨οΈ
An awesome description of the ocean. Indeed whenever I go to the beach it reinforces the fact of a supreme being who transcends this realm. The beauty of His creation surpasses manβs understanding and for me reinforces His Greatness.
Praise the Lord! β¨οΈ
Indeed nature is beautiful. The sea, beaches, skies, sun, moon, stars, trees, wildlife and so on. How awesome are the works of Almighty God. Let’s enjoy nature and life as God has given to us.
Thank God for the gifts of nature and how it has been beautifully written. Well done!!!
Yes, we thank God for all His beautiful gifts! π
It’s amazing how you describe the beach . It’s quite sad that in our part of the world, beaches are refuse dumps and other negative practices.
Can we ever transform our beaches into this beauty you describe.
I sincerely hope that we can!
After looking at a screen or being confined indoors all day, spending some time in nature can feel like a reprieve. There are many methods to appreciate nature, such as going on a walk outside, taking pictures of what you observe, or simply committing to fully experiencing what is going on. Bring nature inside if you can’t get outside! Nature is lovely, and the sea reminds us that a superior being exists. Worth sharing madam.
Great idea! π
We should indeed bring nature inside if we can’t get it outside. Thanks for your comments π
……. pure serenity
True π