“My paddle’s keen
and bright,
flashing with silver,
follow the wild goose flight,
dip dip and swing.”
I put quite a few miles on my canoe this weekend in search of trout, and through it all I was continually overwhelmed by the beauty surrounding me at each bend. Give glory to God! What a beautiful place to enjoy! It was just a wonderful Memorial Day weekend in Cook County.
It felt like spring had finally arrived, and so we felt the pull like so many others to get out on the lakes. I am very glad we did so. The skies were as beautiful as can be, the water was cold and clean sparkling in the sunlight, the trees were whispering in the brisk winds. It was awesome. “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.” Psalm 19:1.
To be there was to be refreshed and renewed. To be there was to listen in on the testimony of creation praising the Creator. We were witnesses of majesty and beauty. As the wind picked up and turned the bow of the canoe around it was obvious who was in control and in whose realm we traveled. “The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD upon many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.” Psalm 29: 3, 4.
We paddled over waters we had walked on just two months earlier on the last day of the past trout season. That day we were caught in a whiteout snow squall as we sat and jigged on top of three feet of ice. That was such an awe-inspiring day as the wind and snow blocked out sky and shore. Now we glide over the same place singing an old canoeing song with a warm sun brightening the heart. The starkly contrasting seasons serve to highlight the complexity and beauty God has built into our systems and season. “Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!” Psalm 148: 7, 8.
I feel it is impossible to spend much time in surroundings such as that without being moved by a sincere reverence for God’s provident hand. The clarity of the water and the purity of the air are remarkable. The diversity of life, flora and fauna is stunning. “O Lord how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy creatures.” Psalm 104:24.
I am aware however that the air is not pure even in the Superior National Forest. And I know that the water is not pristine even in our border lakes. It is a sad commentary on human environmental influence that now we must be concerned how often we eat fish from waters that look so clean. Every new study conducted reveals more chemicals we have introduced. Nevertheless the quality that we can see is capable of sparking the drive to conserve and preserve the goodness we enjoy. We are placed here “to till and keep” (Genesis 2:15) the garden of the Lord. We are stewards of this magnificent grace, a heritage to pass on to the generations following us.
“Land of the silver birch,
home of the beaver;
where still the mighty
moose wanders at will.
Blue lake and rocky shore,
I will return once more.”
From a Canadian
canoeing song.
Each month a member of the Cook County Ministerium will offer Spiritual Reflections. This month our contributor is Reverend Mark Ditmanson of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Grand Marais.
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