How Nature Is Closer to God Than We Are (And How to Change That)
“Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.”
Don’t we often feel nature to be mystifyingly comforting? A reassuringly unchanging yet refreshingly ever-changing aspect of this world? Sometimes it might even feel like nature is the closest to God we can get. Why might that be?
As Unificationists, we often explore the divinity within ourselves – but what about the rest of God’s creation? When Adam and Eve fell away from God, the rest of humanity became “deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9). The Divine Principle explains how they lost their position beside God, and only through created things could they come back to God.
That probably would explain the biblical offerings humans have made throughout history, but for most of us who don’t regularly make ceremonial offerings of lambs and doves, perhaps we can find nature’s divinity in a different way: as our natural teacher that can help bring us back in touch with God.
Lesson 1: Be YOU-nique
Father Moon taught that, as a result of the Human Fall, we amazing human beings began to see ourselves as worthless – constantly comparing ourselves or being jealous of each other’s physical qualities or talents.
But what about nature? Flowers don’t compare themselves with each other. If they were human, they’d appreciate their unique beauty. Wouldn’t this way of life be way more uplifting?
Perhaps such a love and appreciation for each unique thing in the world is an aspect of God that we lost long ago – and it’s something we can relearn from nature.
Lesson 2: We Are One
We need to remind ourselves what nature is to us – that it’s not just a pretty backdrop for a profile pic, but an integral participant in our lives. After all, it’s what sustains us. Father Moon spoke of this interconnected existence:
“Spending time in the forest cleanses the mind. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind, the sound of the wind blowing through the reeds, the sound of frogs croaking in the ponds: All you can hear are the sounds of nature; no extraneous thoughts enter the mind. If you empty your mind and receive nature into your entire being, there is no separation between you and nature. Nature comes into you, and you become completely one with nature. In the moment that the boundary between you and nature disappears, you feel a profound sense of joy. Then nature becomes you, and you become nature.” (As a Peace-Loving Global Citizen, 22-23)
How can we grow our sense of respect, awe, wonder, care, and gratitude for nature? It’s pretty simple: be in it. Try just lying in the grass, hugging the earth, staring into swishing leaves, and feeling one with your natural surroundings.
Lesson 3: It Takes Care of Us – Let’s Take Care of It
By taking care of our environment – cleaning our home or trimming the hedge – we become co-owners with our Heavenly Parent. That feeling of ownership eventually can expand from our personal sphere to include a concern for places like the local park. If there were trash in the trees or even a dying plant, our hearts would go out to these suffering shrubs and we’d want to help them. There are countless other ways to help. We can liberate nature by taking care of it, and just maybe come in touch with God’s deepest love for His creation – and for us.