How Do Heaven and Nature Sing?

The last words to the first verse of the Christmas carol, “Joy to the World” are: And heaven and heaven and nature sing.

Question: How DO heaven and nature sing?

It has always fascinated me how God designed it so that we can also know more of Him through nature and how the natural world was designed to reflect lessons in the spiritual life.

Examples:

Jesus said that faith the size of a 1/8th inch mustard seed represents the amount of faith needed to begin a relationship with God. A tiny mustard seed can grow to be a 10-foot bush, large enough to hold birds. (Mark 4:31)

Scripture also says that we can know that God is always in charge in the same way that the sun always rises in the eastern skies and sets in the west. (Isaiah 45:6)

Or we can mirror seasons of new life (spring), flourishing (summer), reaping what we have spiritually sown (fall), and even winter (when our faith is seemingly dormant). (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Advent is a season of waiting expectantly to celebrate the arrival of Jesus on Earth.

Over 2,000 years ago heavenly angels sang, and a star, comet, or heavenly light shone bright to mark the arrival of the Messiah. Heaven (angels) and nature (a pulsating star) sang.

From the first chapter of the Bible, we read, “And God said, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3) And the culmination of God’s word is the coming of Jesus to be the greatest source of light the world has ever known. “...That life (Jesus) was the light of men.” (John 1:4)

Heaven and nature’s songs are found in Jesus Christ.  

His life brings life:
“Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) 

Strength and energy come through Him: 
“The bread of life” and “living water.” (John 6:35; 4:10) 

Jesus is our guide:
“Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17)

Direction or wisdom is found in following Him:
“I am the way, the truth and the life.” (John 14:6) 

Years ago, my husband, Matt, was digging in our wooded property and by chance, he uncovered a “foxfire,” which is a luminescent glow emitted by certain fungi on rotting wood. That darkness when exposed to oxygen displayed a brilliant, gem-like green that almost pulsated. When the dark of night came, that foxfire was even more fascinating. Exposure to light and to oxygen that caused the beautiful, rare, earthly phenomenon of light to come to life before our very eyes. 

Just as that bright foxfire pulsated with light when exposed to fresh oxygen, our lives can display a kind of “soul foxfire” during these twenty-seven days of Advent. With the help of the Holy Spirit, God will breathe new life into us as we “dig” into God’s word, spend time in prayer, and trust in the Living Word. 

And last, here are a few suggestions we can pass on the light we have received to others this Advent season: 

1. Wake up every morning asking God to specifically show you how to be His Light. 

2. Read the account of the Birth of Jesus, looking through the eyes of the shepherds, Mary, Joseph, the angels, the Wise Men, Herod. (Luke 2: 1 - 20 and Matthew 1:18 - 2:23) 

3. Do something to serve another person who cannot thank you. (Donating blood is one idea!) 

4. Send a card a day to a senior, a loved one, a person who is alone, ill, or discouraged. 

5. Invite someone to church or a Christmas Eve service. 

6. Serve at church, a shelter, or visit a shut-in.  

7. Write a note or send a card to your doctor, nurse, or hospital employee. 

8. Take cookies to a neighbor. (no peanut butter or nuts, please!) 

9. Send Christmas cards including a specific, written prayer for the person you are writing. 

10. Find something you would like to buy for yourself and instead, donate that money 

11. Fast from social media and use that time to thank Jesus for being Light 

12. Participate in the Giving Tree at Orchard Hill Church 

13. Call a friend and let them know what their friendship means to you 

14. Pay for the groceries for the person behind you in line. 

15. Make a list of all the people in your life who have not seen the Light of Jesus and pray for them. 

Let heaven and heaven and nature sing in and through us during this Advent season.