When the pandemic was at its height and the world in lockdown, social media overflowed with inspirational pictures of the natural world: rainbows, sunsets, seascapes and wildlife invading urban spaces. Amidst loneliness and fear, nature became a source of simple joys. An article from the US ‘Natural Resources Defense Council’ entitled ‘How to Find Joy in Nature When you Need it Most’, encouraged people to ‘take a walk’, ‘forage for edibles’, ‘hop on a bike’, ‘study the roots under your feet’, ‘get out on the water’ and discover your ‘backyard birds’.1
This goes much deeper than neo-paganism or distraction therapy. It taps into a profound biblical theme. God’s joy in creation is reflected in Genesis 1’s repeated refrain, ‘And it was good’. Sabbath, the completion and crown of creation, is not just about rest but about God’s – and our – enjoyment of God’s good earth. Many of the psalms rejoice in nature’s power and encourage humanity to follow the way trees, mountains and animals joyfully worship their Creator. In Proverbs 8, Wisdom (possibly the Holy Spirit, or perhaps simply a literary trope or personification) gambols as God creates mountains, seas and clouds:
Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in the human race.
Proverbs 8:30-31, [NIV]
