Articles
Ferns
R E F L E C T I O N S
Thoughts on nature and the Christian faith
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"He has made everything beautiful in its time. "
- Ecc. 3:11
We have several ferns on our property growing in the shaded recesses of the woods. I have always been attracted to them, but I am not sure why. There is a primeval aura about them, something that speaks of an earlier time before mankind appeared on the scene. Indeed ferns are some of the oldest forms of life on the planet, even predating the age of dinosaurs. Many forms of life have come and gone throughout history, but the ferns remain. I like to think Adam and Eve walked among them. Ferns are survivors, and they are beautiful. How many generations of human existence have marveled at their intricate design? How many hearts have been turned to God just by pondering the source of such art and creativity? And sadly, how many have ignored such witnesses of His existence? God has made everything beautiful in its time, and the time God has allotted to the ferns spans eons. So, the next time you come across a fern in the woods, spend some time with it. Look at it closely. See the intricacy. See the beauty. And then thank the One who has created it all. Beauty has been placed here for a reason, and that reason is to point us to its Author. Cathedrals were constructed to draw our thoughts to God. So were ferns. There is beauty in all forms of life. Some forms shout beauty. Others require close examination to see it. But the time required to search out beauty is worth the effort. There is beauty in all creation, even in the ones we deplore. There is beauty in our enemies as well as our friends, but it takes a loving heart to see it. Just remember, it took a loving God to create any beauty in us. God doesn't love us because we have beauty. We have beauty because God loves us. - John
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