We all know what a landscape is. But soundscapes are just as important. This is my view right now.
It's my front porch, where I spend much of my free time. This evening I've been spending time just thanking the Lord for his blessings this day as well as lifting up people in my life. There are many needs and I love praying for others. But I often just stop and listen to the soundscape of my farm.
Thankfully, sounds produced by humans or by the operation of motors or equipment are practically non-existent. What sounds do I hear? Frogs. Crickets. Katydids. Owls. An occasional dog barking. Foxes screaming. And, of course, whippoorwills.
To think that we find God only in church is as absurd as thinking that we find art only in the Louvre. Open your eyes -- and ears -- and he's right there. Even a porch can become an altar of praise to the Creator.
On the Day of Judgment, some will try and excuse their lack of belief by saying, "How could I have known you existed? I never attended church." My guess is that God will reply, "Didn't you ever go outdoors? Didn't you ever take a walk? Didn't you ever hear a bird sing? I surrounded you 24 hours a day with evidence of my eternal power and glory."
Goethe once said, "Nature is the living, visible garment of God." Wherever you are tonight, go outdoors for just a minute before heading to bed. Who but the Creator could have devised such a sublime symphony of sounds?