God In the Chaos

It was a warm June afternoon; the week after school had ended so I was in an especially leisurely mood as I lay on my back looking up into the far-reaching branches of an ancient chestnut tree.  For as long as I could remember in my 9 years of living this old tree supplied plenty of shade over the summer and the best chestnuts conkers in the autumn.

I stretched out my right arm and drew in one of the long dandelions that had gone to seed.  Holding this wispy plant inches above my face I began to look closely studying the tiny rows and rows of seeds.   Within seconds I was sitting up barely able to breathe at what I found in that dandelion.

In the symmetry and beauty of a weed gone to seed I had met God, it was a life-altering moment.  From that moment on I have known without a doubt that there is a great Creator. No one then, or now, could convince me that the tiny and perfect design of a simple weed happened randomly.

Since that moment I have been blessed to experience the wonder of God’s creation daily. It has been easy trusting in a God who creates order out of chaos, who has little ducklings follow their parents in a straight line, geese who fly south in a perfect V formation or who create snowflakes to be so darn beautiful.  There are God’s flowers, leaves, and the design of the human body that are awe-inspiring.

But, now in the second half of life, I find myself seeking God where chaos seems to reign.  Where disease takes innocent lives, hatred is the accepted norm, and money is valued over human lives.

It was in the midst of such chaos that I went for a walk.  With thoughts full of questions and prayers full of doubts I came across a field of dandelions that had gone to seed.  It didn’t take long for the 9-year-old in me to pause, smile, and decide to stay awhile.  I sat down and just enjoyed the beauty of that simple weed gone to seed.  Later, as I was getting up to leave the words of the Apostle Paul ran through my thoughts, “….faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrew 1:11).

It is easy to find God in orderly neat situations but our faith must mature to also trust God in the worldly chaos that we reside.  As mature people of faith, we must not lose hope, instead, we trust even when we have no evidence of God’s presence.

I arrived home with a fist full of dandelions that had gone to seed and peacefulness I hadn’t felt in weeks.   So, if all the news is getting you down, go out and find a dandelion that has gone to seed and take a close look at one of God’s masterpieces!

Blessings,

Rev. Heather McCarrel

The photo with this Blog is a photo I took in that field of dandelion.