The Awe of Natural Wonders

As I reflect back on my family vacation this past week, the one thing that stands out to me is the Niagra Falls. Yes, Toronto was a great city... and the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY was some place I've always wanted to go and finally did... and I enjoyed the time with my family in the water park at Camel Beach in the Poconos of Pennsylvania. I even enjoyed once again reflecting on our nation's history in the Brandywine Valley and at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia... but all that seems so much less compared to Niagra Falls.

When you think about it, the Niagra Falls has been literally "falling" for thousands of years. The first European settlers that came across it was back in the mid-17th century... and I'm sure the American Indians enjoyed its sights and sounds long before that. But, when I sat there looking at the falls and for 2 days just saw millions of gallons falling per second... I thought, "wow". Yes, "wow". I was amazed... first of all, there truly is ALOT of water on this earth. I saw a lot of it fall just in two days at this one place on this huge earth... and it kept coming... we heard the thunder and saw the wonder.

I thought to myself, when we each look at Niagra Falls, how can any one of us doubt that there is a Creator providing for us? I thought back to the story of Genesis, and whether one takes the story literally or not, we cannot doubt the fact that this water came from somewhere and it covers the earth in plentifold. There is more than an abundance of it and this sight surely proves that. Just like in the Genesis story, where "a stream was welling up out of the earth and was watering all the surface of the ground," so too does Niagra Falls show us how the streams of water keep on providing. It demonstrates how God has provided for us in the past, continues to provide for us now and demonstrates the promise that he will continue to provide in the future.

Besides our nourishment, God also provides things here on earth to "dazzle" us (as author Donald Miller puts it). Niagra Falls surely does this. The CN Tower is an amazing structure in Toronto, I loved learning all the history of baseball in Cooperstown, and the American Constitution that was put together in Philadelphia is truly one of the most remarkable documents in human history... but when all of the history and cities are said and done, the natural wonder of Niagra Falls keeps on coming. It is amazing. And, people from all corners of the earth flock to it to get a glimpse, to see it from different angles (above, below, in it, from the side, from hotel rooms, from tall buildings, etc). We have a desire to see nature's wonder and to then wonder to ourselves... how did this get here? ... and yet, we should probably ask the deeper question... WHY is this here?

My friends, it is to show us the awesomeness of our Creator and the good He provides for us, both physically and spiritually. Nothing else comes close to His wonders.