The Magazine

JAMIE

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” Genesis 1:1

I think this quote shows us how small and insignificant we are compared to the greatness of God who can create earth and many other planets all on his own. Seeing the vast sand flats and towering hills around Lindisfarne illustrated how powerful and moving landscapes are and how totally we are under the influence of nature and her laws.

The more we exploit nature, such as in mining and mass burning fossil fuels, the more dependent we actually become on it. And nobody, not even a very rich man, can be safe from the will of nature and her natural disasters. Yet when one trusts in God, they become happy because they do not need to worry; they have protection from the creator of all things. And how great is this protection! The beautiful scenery in Lindisfarne helped persuade me to serve nature and God instead of fighting it. I want to help protect the unique scenes and ecosystems which we all cherish, so that many more can find hope and excitement in them.

LIZ

“In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.” Psalm 95: 4-5

We crossed the causeway across to the island at 8.30 on a clear August morning, dazzled by the sunlight glinting over the water. Already I was filled with anticipation at walking in the steps of so many Christians before me over the centuries. As life has progressed, I have found my faith more and more rooted in Celtic Christianity.

To me God is as immanent in the earth, sky, trees and landscapes as He is transcendent. Faith intermingles with life as we live out our daily lives within the natural environment. For the early Christians it would have been so much more a daily struggle with the elements but also a daily celebration of the beauty of the earth and of all the resources God provides for our welfare.

I was expecting Lindisfarne to be quite desolate a place, but was surprised to find a thriving community there who have made their living from the natural environment for centuries. A walk up to the castle gave breath-taking views and great delight to me as a keen bird-watcher. Here, as in the Scottish Highlands, which I love, God seemed majestic and powerful as reflected in his creation but also loving towards us in his abundant supply of all the things we need to sustain us.