The Beauty of Yosemite
This past weekend, about 20 of us from CSUEB Koinonia took a trip out to Yosemite. The temperature hit 80 both days so the weather was great, and the trip was a welcome break from school! While we were there, we took some easy hikes out to Bridalveil and Lower Yosemite Falls, and some tougher hikes up to Vernal and Nevada Falls.
I couldn’t join the rest of the group on the more strenuous hikes because of a bad knee, but I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful work God did in Yosemite. I couldn’t take my eyes off the MASSIVE hunks of rock like Half Dome and El Capitan, the many subtle shades of green of trees that colored the landscape, the creamy white petals of the dogwood flowers that surrounded Curry Village, the vibrant red, orange and purple that painted the sky at sunset… I was awestruck; Yosemite really reflects God’s creative pleasure and artistry, and I marveled at the beauty of a God who created such a place for us to enjoy. As I was taking in the scenery, I was reminded of Psalm 8: “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.” The truth is that even though God made such an awesome place as Yosemite, his most valued creation is us! I’m amazed to know that the God who is majestic is also the God who cares for each of us, that whatever my sins, failures and shortcomings, the beauty and goodness of his character are steadfast. I think many of us returned home refreshed by our time of bonding in the great outdoors, and strengthened by the reality of His presence through Yosemite.