A twelve foot alligator staking out his territory in the canal.  A shy little otter who ran away when we interrupted his playtime.  A red-shouldered hawk watching motionless from a tree.  Birds with funny sounding names like “coot” and “anhinga” wading and diving in the lake.  Turtles floating lazily, just their heads visible above the water line.

Just a typical South Florida afternoon walk in the park.

Even though I occasionally question God’s liberal use of heat and humidity in the Sunshine State (OK, it’s probably more than occasionally if I’m going to be honest), I think He had a pretty good time unleashing His creativity here.  And our walk in the park  last weekend made that abundantly evident.

God must love watching these creatures do what He created them to do, whether it’s lurking in the canal, running along the banks or poised on a branch.  He has a reason for what they look like and where they live and what they do.  They glorify Him just by being what He meant them to be.

I need to let Saturday afternoon walks in the park remind me to stop and think about what God wants from my life.  There’s something He created me for, something He wants me to do and someplace He wants me to do it.

I need to walk in the park more often.

In whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?       Job 12:10

Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.  Isaiah 43:20

But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine”.  Isaiah 43:1

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?  Psalm 8:3-4