Psalm 24 verse 1 says: The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; 

It's another typical British bank holiday. It's cold and it's wet. Sat this morning drinking some much needed coffee. I looked out of the window into our garden. There were wood pigeons, rooks, sparrows, blue tits, great tits & a blackbird. Momentarily distracted by an incoming text, it was Lesley that encouraged me to look again. There by the nut feeder was a woodpecker. 

It's strange, I have never been a bird watcher or any sort of keen naturalist (save for the badge I got in the Boy's Brigade!) but its amazing the pleasure I got from that infrequent garden visitor. What is it that suddenly has awakened this within me? The desire for birds in the garden, the pleasure from looking at wonderful cottage flowers, the increasing obsession with trying to grow different types of vegetables. fruits and herbs. But isn't it supposed to be like this? Weren't we meant to tend the garden? Isn't that the oldest story?

Made in His image, His plan was for us to live at one with nature. Higher than all other created things, God gave us dominion over it?

“I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. ³⁰ And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.”  Genesis 1:29

When God created the earth and everything in it. He said "it is good" As His image bearer we should not be surprised that when we see the bee hovering above the lobelia, the butterfly teasing the hair or the first sign of life in the vegetable patch, that our spirits leaps. This is who God created me to be.

I am about to leave the house, get in my car, drive along the busy bank holiday motorway, probably struggle to park, rub shoulders with many others and their lies the challenge. Will I continue to recognise the fingerprint of the creator on those that cut me up, knock me and just irrationally irritate me? Yes it is the challenge and I have determined to stand on this truth:

"The Earth is the Lord's & Everything in it!"