It took us nine hours of almost non-stop driving. We started in Austin (Texas) and finally arrived at Big Bend National Park more than 500 miles away at six in the evening. What greeted us was a unique terrain and natural ecosystem. It felt like we were in some alien land—deserts as far as the eye can see and magnificent limestone formations. In another way, we felt like we were part of some old western movie, with cowboys ready to come charging.
According to Wikipedia, Big Bend is the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert topography and ecology in the United States covering more than 320,000 hectares. It contains more than 1,200 species of plants, more than 450 species of birds, 56 species of reptiles, and 75 species of mammals.
One of the blessings of being able to travel is the chance to see God’s wonderful creation. The Psalmist puts it this way, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1). There is something in the wonders of nature that stirs a spirit of worship. We are reminded of the immense power and wisdom of the One who designed and commanded into being the world around us.
But there is a more sobering implication. According to the apostle Paul, God’s “invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20). The natural world is a never-silent reminder that we have a Creator before whom we will give an account. May we always heed this message in our daily lives.
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