Lenten Devotional by Nicola Seaholm
April 1, 2017
Song of Solomon 2:8, 10-12, 15-17
8 The voice of my beloved! Look, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills. 10 My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; 11 for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. 12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. 16 My beloved is mine and I am his; he pastures his flock among the lilies. 17 Until the day breathes and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle or a young stag on the cleft mountains.
Throughout the year, nature is my safe space and my brave space. The literal reasons for this are obvious. On a hike I feel safe. I have my trail map; I’ve read the guidebook; I’m packing plenty of water and a small first-aid kit; sometimes I’m with a friend. At the same time, occasionally some small amount of bravery is required. Maybe the trail is steep; the ground is slippery or eroding; I may be pushing myself to my physical limits; the path may be unclear; the destination may seem too far away.
The spiritual feeling of sanctuary – or the way we see God – comes all along the way: at the top of a hill; on the forest floor in the form of a small flower or an unusual mushroom; on a precipice with a spectacular vista before me, hugs and high-fives with a loved one; arriving back at the car after a challenging journey.
In the springtime, when the trees aren’t lush with spectacular foliage and it’s too cold [for me!] to head up to the mountains, it’s necessary to move a bit more slowly and look more carefully. I will keep my eyes on the ground, inspect a bud, and find sanctuary in the smaller things as in this image of a tree outside my office window. I hope you take some time to step outside – maybe for just for a few minutes, or longer if you’re feeling brave – to find sanctuary in nature.