Nature

I have most of Rich Mullin's song's memorized, and I find to my amazement that in doing so I have often memorized scripture as well. The words are woven so skillfully in the melodies that they are not a distiguishable part. There are too many to mention here.

I was raised with an appreciation of nature. Family vacations were nearly always to a state or national park. I firmly believe that nature is the visible manifestation of God's handiwork. It is too complex, too chaotic, too rich, too diverse to be otherwise. But go deeper. It takes my breath away that not only did God create this incredible world, but He made us able to appreciate the beauty of it. He made it for us, to point us to Him.

In the book "Rich Mullins: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven," GK Chesterton is quoted as saying:

A child kicks its legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, Do it again; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough... It is possible that God says every morning, Do it again, to the sun; and every evening, Do it again, to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike: it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.

I love the idea that God is so intimately involved in His creation. So did Rich Mullins. He saw God in nature and loved the joy of it. I'll point you to some of the songs he wrote about nature:

The Color Green
Pictures in the Sky
With the Wonder
And another of my favorites: Calling out Your Name

That last one is also an excellent example of his mastery of the hammer dulcimer.

In researching that Chesterton quote I found the quoted longer version than what was in the book. The last sentence states "for we have sinned and grown old." Rich quoted those words in his song Growing Young. Open the extended entry to learn more.

"I've gone so far from my home I've seen the world and I have known So many secrets I wish now I did not know 'Cause they have crept into my heart They have left it cold and dark And bleeding Bleeding and falling apart

And everybody used to tell me big boys don't cry
Well I've been around enough to know that that was the lie
That held back the tears in the eyes of a thousand prodigal sons
Well we are children no more we have sinned and grown old
And our Father still waits and He watches down the road
To see the crying boys come running back to His arms
And be growing young
Growing young

I've seen silver turn to dross
Seen the very best there ever was
And I'll tell you it ain't worth what it costs
And I remember my father's house
What I wouldn't give right now
Just to see him and hear him tell me that he loves me so much

And everybody used to tell me big boys don't cry
Well I've been around enough to know that that was the lie
That held back the tears in the eyes of a thousand prodigal sons
Well we are children no more we have sinned and grown old
And our Father still waits and He watches down the road
To see the crying boys come running back to His arms

And when I thought that I was all alone
It was your voice I heard calling me back home
And I wonder now Lord
What it was that made me wait so long
And what kept You waiting for me all that time
Was Your love stronger than my foolish pride
Will You take me back now take me back and let me be Your child

'Cause I've been broken now I've been saved
I've learned to cry and I've learned how to pray
And I'm learning I'm learning even I can be changed
And everybody used to tell me big boys don't cry
Well I've been around enough to know that that was the lie
That held back the tears in the eyes of a thousand prodigal sons
Well we are children no more we have sinned and grown old
And our Father still waits and He watches down the road
To see the crying boys come running back to His arms
And be growing young
Growing young
Growing young"

We have all done something wrong and felt the loss of innocence. The sin and guilt weigh on us, aging our souls and grieving the heart of God. There are too many secrets in our hearts, yet God sees them all and weeps for us. And he's standing there, waiting for prodigal sons and daughters to return home, shed the weight and the burden, and live with Him.

As I get older the words become even more true. Yet He forgives me and still calls me "son."