The time had come when we could have a break from the hustle and bustle of city life—a chance to go north and find some warmer weather.
We had travelled for a few days and the weekend was upon us. We arrived at Lake Cargelligo, NSW, and set up camp beside the lake.
There is no Seventh-day Adventist church there so we decided to go to God’s Cathedral and get a lesson from nature.
Sitting in our chairs we thought of Jesus teaching from His boat on the Sea of Galilee. The fishermen were out in their boats. The pelican, the cormorants, ducks, egrets, ibis and spoonbills all fishing for their living just as the fishermen did in Bible times. The cormorants would sit on a rock to dry their wings, just as the fishermen would hang their nets on rocks and the sides of their boats. We could see a flock of small grebe in the middle of the lake. They would suddenly disappear and then resurface again. This reminded us of the school of the prophets. As each one was martyred, new ones would come up in their place.
Suddenly a kite, a bird of prey, appeared and all the little birds flew away. Did this represent the devil and Satan coming to tempt us? And how we must flee from him?
The gentle breeze blowing across the lake and the ripples coming to shore reminded us of God’s love for us and how He gently leads and guides us through life. His love never fails.
As the sun sank in the West, we were again reminded that the Sabbath had been a blessed one and the glories in the sky reminded us of the soon coming Saviour.
Were we sad because we didn’t get to go to a church? Yes, because we missed having the friendship and fellowship of the little country churches we like to visit. But no, because we sat at the feet of the great Master and saw His stories unfold before our eyes.
Dear Lord, thank You for this blessed day. Thank You for Your love and tender care each day. Thank You for Your creation that reminds us of so many of the stories we read about in Your Word. Thank You for the quiet times that we can spend with You in nature and in prayer. Amen.
The worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church will celebrate Creation Sabbath on October 26. For more information and additional resources, visit www.creationsabbath.net.
Shirley Garley writes from Hampton Park, Victoria.
