A Nature Lover's Guide to Seeing God

By Bob McDonald and Evelyn McDonald

With a Foreword written by prominent Australian Christian leader, Tim Costello AO, this book combines high-quality photos of nature, interesting scientific background and Biblical reflections in a totally unique way. Readers may be drawn to see the natural world and God as perhaps they have not done so before.

Forty-four stunning photographs reveal incredibly diverse aspects of God's creation—His 'first book'—inviting both appreciation and contemplation. Of these, 34 are accompanied by firstly, a background explanation with relevant scientific detail and secondly, a reflection inspired by the image. In writing the reflections, the authors, both Bible college graduates who have served in full time Christian ministry, have drawn from various parts of God's 'second book'—the Bible. The reflections consider not only what has been recorded about creation, but also about its Creator, humanity and our role and responsibilities.

The text addresses such questions as is the order, precision, diversity and beauty in nature merely random or accidental? What is the purpose of nature-creation? What parables for life are there in nature? What do natural disasters, death and decay—parts of nature that cannot be ignored—mean? How should we respond to nature? What perspective should Christians bring to creation care?

For people of faith, this book provides valuable insights and inspiration for daily meditation, prayer and responsible action. For those who simply love nature and recognise how significant it is, this book offers thought-provoking perspectives on beautiful images of the natural world.

This book would be a great gift for such people as well as those with whom you would simply like to share, through the images, something of the sheer beauty of nature both here in Australia and elsewhere along with thoughtful text. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Gum Publishing
• Release date: Jan 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9780645044638

Bob McDonald

Bob has a PhD in biology and loves to study, explore and photograph various aspects of God's creation. He enjoys sharing these with others, whether through photography or bushwalking. He has been awarded third prize in the 2019 Australian Photographer of the Year (Wildlife and Animal) and has received a number of high commendations and awards in various photography competitions. He is currently involved in environmental monitoring and reporting as a volunteer and regularly leads groups of interested people on challenging bushwalks, preferably off track in wilderness areas. Bob and Evelyn have completed full-time studies at Sydney and Missionary Bible College and have served here in Australia and overseas in Christian ministry.

Book preview

Background

The Karijini National Park is a ‘dark sky’ area in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is recognised as such because there is minimal light pollution from any human activity. Consequently, on a clear night, the sky is an overwhelming expanse of stars, planets and galaxies, including the incredible Milky Way.

For at least 60,000 thousand years, Indigenous Australians, known to be Australia’s first astronomers,[1] have sat under this same Milky Way. They have read not only the lights but also the dark patches. The dark patches in this photo reveal an emu. Its head and the upper part of its body are to the right of the large tree. In Wiradjuri culture, this emu, called Gugurmin, depending on its position in the night sky, can signal the time to hunt for emu eggs. Reading the night sky, Indigenous Australians also gained valuable information about water sources, travel paths and optimum travel times throughout the year.[2] This ancient knowledge is still relevant today, but the increasing degree of light pollution in our world hides what can be seen and read in the beautiful and informative night skies.

On several nights during our stay at Karijini National Park, we made our way to the viewing platform at Joffre Gorge to gaze at the star-filled sky and photograph it against the silhouette of the gorge walls. Out there in the black stillness, it was impossible not to be awed by the spectacular display above and overwhelmed with an awareness of just how minuscule we were under the seemingly never-ending expanse of stars twinkling in the black velvet sky. It was so easy to think of ourselves as insignificant. Yet, in the dark stillness of the night, under those far-away lights and in complete contradiction of that thought, the words of Psalm 8 came to mind.

Reflection

Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory in the heavens…

…When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is humankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honour.

You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. (Psalm 8:1–8)

We are not insignificant. God thinks of us and cares for us. From the beginning of God’s story, He has shown humankind how precious and important we are to Him. This Psalm is simply another expression of this. Although we do occupy a very small space, the author of this Psalm does not even question our significance. He is assured that, in God’s eyes, we do matter—each one of us—and that God is very mindful of us. God remembers us. God cares for us.

Like many parents, we have family who lives abroad. We do not see them regularly, but they are very much in our thoughts and prayers. Although they are a long way away from us, ‘out of sight’ is not ‘out of mind’ for us. Likewise, according to the Bible, God, who created the earth and life and who might seem distant from us, is, in fact, very attentive and caring towards us. We are neither ‘out of His sight’, nor are we ‘out of His mind’.

Further, the Psalm author continues to say that not only does God think of us and have regard for our needs, but He also has made us co-rulers with Himself. This is extraordinary! The words of verses 5–8 tell us that we have a special place and responsibility in the scheme of things. These verses very much recall Genesis 1:26–28, where our purpose on earth is declared. God made us so that, as His representatives, we might rule. However, post-Fall and throughout history, this word ‘rule’ has been interpreted through the lenses of cultural bias and human selfishness and, consequently, has been taken to mean ‘domination’—selfish control and destructive rule. It has even been used as an excuse for abuse. John Mark Comer put it succinctly in his book, Garden City, when he wrote that, as humans, we have a great capacity to either rule in a way that brings life or in a way that is exploitive and destructive and actually diminishes life.[3] In other words, human choice, our choices as appointed co-rulers with God, determine the reality in which we live. They either reflect God’s good rule or do otherwise.

We have a special place in God’s heart and mind. He has entrusted us with much. This is both a wonderful and an awesome responsibility!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, as the incredible Creator of the universe, of which the magnificent night sky we see is just a small part, it is awesome that you are mindful of us. You care for us, and you desire us to be people who bring heaven to earth. Father God, help us to live as your image-bearers and bring your life and your loving wise care to all that has been entrusted to our care. Amen.

Reflection 2: Protecting Life

Protecting Life

Background

One joy experienced throughout the year is seeing and hearing birds. Australia has 828 species of native birds.[4] Many are strikingly beautiful, engage in intriguing displays and produce melodic calls. Not all our birds, though, are brightly coloured or visually striking. Some are little—even tiny—and mostly brown, such as the thornbills, the gerygones and the scrubwrens. They busily go about their little lives, feeding, nest-building, breeding and raising young. All birds, regardless of size, colour or shape, are an integral part of our diverse ecosystems. One of the delights of birdwatching is to see these creatures go about life in such a seemingly unselfconscious manner, with their food and nesting material provided