The glen was a place where a small creek flowed between the hills near where I lived. As a boy I loved to go there sometimes, either by myself or with a friend. We would slide down the steep bank, holding on to roots or small trees to keep ourselves from falling into the creek. In the spring after a rain, the creek would be full and running fast, but in the summer parts of the creek would dry up completely.
There is no end to the fun a creek can provide for children. One of the best things we did was to find a fallen tree across the creek and then try to walk across it without falling in. Another was to cross the creek stepping from stone to stone without getting wet. Every bend of the creek was different. At some places there were waterfalls. At other places there were quiet pools of water that had minnows in them and fast-moving water bugs that skimmed across the surface of the water. We found salamanders hidden under the rocks that were everywhere along the streambed. We also found animal tracks where deer came to drink and raccoons came to wash their food.
Who designed this beautiful playground? God did! It tells us in the Bible that “He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and His eye seeth every precious thing.” Job 28:1010He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing. (Job 28:10). Even though sin has left its awful marks on God’s wonderful creation, we can still see enough beauty to know that He is a mighty and wonderful God. And when we remember that we ourselves are part of His creation, then we remember that we are accountable to Him. God has not only given us all of creation to enjoy, but He has also given us His Word, the Bible, that we might know Him as the Creator and also as a loving Father.
ML-05/31/1992