Seeing isn't always beholding

But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. (Romans 1:18-20)

Take time to reflect upon what you see all around you in nature and you will soon realize this does not all exist because of some 'big bang'. It more than suggests a purposeful creation by a very purposeful Creator. When we take time to 'look around' at the creation, we might just find ourselves taking time out to 'look up'. "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place—what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" (Psalm 8:3-4) We might just find ourselves carried away into times of contemplation and even a bit of worship in the process!

When we become so busied by the day-to-day things that we have to do, we miss out on the glorious things happening right now in our midst. Busyness leads to complacency with the divine - we actually need to take time to consider (ponder, mull over, think upon) the things God has provided for us to enjoy in this lifetime. God's eternal power and his divine nature - all are seen in his creation. Ignore it long enough and you will find your life becomes empty - hollow, without real meaning or intent. The trivial will take priority over the eternal - something we really don't want, but it happens without our even noticing.

All of creation reveals his power. Look at the fierceness of a summer storm's winds and rains, the rushing of a mighty waterfall cascading to the depths below, the sweet melody of a tiny finch hopping from one branch to another. We cannot simply 'see' and not appreciate the Creator - we might 'glance' and move on, but we cannot truly 'see' and just move on. Distractions cause us to miss out on what God wants to show us each day. When we minimize the distractions and really begin to 'pay attention' to him, what a different world we see. As scripture points out, God makes his truth obvious to each of us, but it is quite possible we could miss it because we aren't looking with eyes to actually behold it. Just sayin!