The Apostle Paul commands us to think upon whatever is beautiful, lovely, and praiseworthy in order to enjoy the peace of God which passes understanding (Phil. 4:7-9).
But in a day when many of us live among steel and concrete boxes of varying sizes and shapes, it’s often very difficult to locate beauty in our immediate surroundings. At best our eyes feast on the mundane and the monotonous, at worst on decay and brokenness. Our noses are blocked with dust and grime, our ears are assailed with traffic and jackhammers, and our taste buds are dulled with mass-produced junk food.
We need to get out of the city, see the stunning mountains, savor the fragrance of the forest, taste the thrill of fresh and healthy produce, and listen to the exquisite bird songs.
Or if that’s too difficult, then get a BBC documentary like Planet Earth or Deep Sea. Travel our beautiful world, and plunge into our magnificent oceans from the comfort of your favorite armchair. Find ways to increase your intake of beauty through your various senses.
Let me help get you started with this stunning film of Danny Macaskill cycling the Cullin Ridgeline in the Isle of Skye. It brought back a lot of memories for me as I started in the ministry in these same Western Highlands in similar stunning scenery.
But it’s not just the beautiful scenery, it’s also the beautiful camerawork, and even the beautiful cycling skill, surely an incredible example of having dominion over the earth and subduing it. Feast your eyes…and your soul.
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