A Bible Reading: Genesis 1: 27 - 28, 31; 3:8
So God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.
Then Adam and Eve heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day.
A Thought
It must be the first time in history that a Prime Minister has instructed the people of the UK to get outside for a daily constitutional, albeit with social distancing, but these are extraordinary times.
Spending short periods of time out in the sun is good for us. The body creates Vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin, and Vitamin D helps to build up our immunity and is essential for healthy bones. The fresh air and exercise are also good for our general well-being: physical, mental and emotional.
God has given us a beautiful world in which to live, a world that the Bible describes as very good. We don’t have to look very far to see the wonderful intricacies of the natural world, but we don’t always take time to stop and savour it.
It appears from Genesis that God was in the habit of walking with Adam and Eve during the evening, enjoying their companionship in their garden surroundings. British Summer Time brings lighter nights, and our gardens and the surrounding countryside are already bursting into fresh spring growth. So why not get out there each day and enjoy a gentle walk, together with our Lord God.
A Prayer
Lord God, we thank you for blessing us with the beauty of your creation. May we walk there day by day, enjoying your company and savouring the natural world around us. May we be open to your voice and enfolded with your peace.
Amen.
Solvitur Ambulando - "it is solved by walking" - a phrase used by those great walkers and authors, Patrick Leigh Fermor and Bruce Chatwin.
Walking gives you time to slow down, to think and contemplate, and appreciate everything that we have.
I find that walking, as opposed to driving, gives me a much deeper appreciation of the beauty of God's world. Slowing down a bit lets you see the detail of creation and realise that this world was designed with such love and care.