So, I am starting to talk to a friend of mine who is a self-described "naturalist" and "spiritual but not religious" but has all of the sudden become interested in Christianity.

Honestly, there is a lot of stuff in the Bible about getting to know God through nature that I think is helpful. I am gathering some source material for him, and wondered if anyone here would like to help. I am especially focused on human interaction with God through animals, but discussions about getting to know God through creation generally are helpful. Psalms is going to be a huge source for the latter. If you have a favorite psalm in this regard, pointer would be helpful.

What I have for animals so far:

• Noah - all the animals just show up at the ark
• Elijah - the ravens brought meat and bread to Elijah in the desert
• Elisha - two bears came out of the woods and mauled young blasphemers
• Balaam's donkey - won't approach an angel the donkey sees but Balaam does not, talks to Balaam
• Daniel - the lions don't harm him
• The dove - the Sprit of God takes the form of a dove after Jesus's baptism.
• The serpent - lies to Eve
• Jonah - Swallowed by a great fish
• The fish and the temple tax - found in the mouth of a fish
• The snake and Paul - bit him on Malta, but didn't hurt him
• The rooster - convicted Peter after his denial, feeds into the restoration of Peter

For psalms:
Psalms 8
Psalms 19
Psalms 104

Any other "naturalist" type stories that might be helpful. My acquaintance is pretty green when it comes to the Bible, so almost anything you can think of would likely help.

BusterAg said:

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So, I am starting to talk to a friend of mine who is a self-described "naturalist" and "spiritual but not religious" but has all of the sudden become interested in Christianity.

Honestly, there is a lot of stuff in the Bible about getting to know God through nature that I think is helpful. I am gathering some source material for him, and wondered if anyone here would like to help. I am especially focused on human interaction with God through animals, but discussions about getting to know God through creation generally are helpful. Psalms is going to be a huge source for the latter. If you have a favorite psalm in this regard, pointer would be helpful.

What I have for animals so far:

• Noah - all the animals just show up at the ark
• Elijah - the ravens brought meat and bread to Elijah in the desert
• Elisha - two bears came out of the woods and mauled young blasphemers
• Balaam's donkey - won't approach an angel the donkey sees but Balaam does not, talks to Balaam
• Daniel - the lions don't harm him
• The dove - the Sprit of God takes the form of a dove after Jesus's baptism.
• The serpent - lies to Eve
• Jonah - Swallowed by a great fish
• The fish and the temple tax - found in the mouth of a fish
• The snake and Paul - bit him on Malta, but didn't hurt him
• The rooster - convicted Peter after his denial, feeds into the restoration of Peter

For psalms:
Psalms 8
Psalms 19
Psalms 104

Any other "naturalist" type stories that might be helpful. My acquaintance is pretty green when it comes to the Bible, so almost anything you can think of would likely help.

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Does your friend believe in God? Certainly that is a precursor to salvation. A great book that I used with my kid is God's Crime Scene by J. Warner Wallace.

That being said, I hope your friend will come to understand that Jesus is the only way unto salvation; without the gospel, they cannot be saved.

To answer your actual question, off the top of my head:

The cows lowing carrying the ark on their way back to the Israelites in 1 Samuel.

And, of course, Job 38-39 (my favorite chapters!)

Also, you seem to be focused on animals but there are many verses about other aspects of nature: the stars, sky, mountains, water, etc.

God has revealed himself many times in nature:

He revealed himself to Moses in the wilderness on a Mountain

"Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed." -Exodus 3: 1-2

He revealed himself as Christ on a Mountain:

"After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus" -Matt 17: 1-3

Getting away from the noise of life where you can be one with God's creation is a powerful way to open and expose yourself to God's calling.

JFK also had a powerful quote on the matter:

Thanks for the note. I forgot about the cows in 1 Samuel, very good addition.

My friend is all about nature and believes that nature is a way to understand the divine. He believes that he is closest to "the creator of the universe" when he is with animals in the wild. He is open to learning more about Christianity.

He is not a Christian, but is not opposed to learning more about Christianity than he knows now. Came from an agnostic background, no real faith tradition, but understands the basics. I'm pretty outdoorsy, so we chat about our last camping / hiking / fishing trip when we small talk. I just thought that some conversations about Christianity / God / Nature would be some interesting topics when they come up.

And, God's address to Job is proof that the real Divine Comedy is dripping with sarcasm. Love those chapters.

I also love these versus from chapter 9:

7 "But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
9 Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
10 In his hand is the life of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.

BusterAg said:

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Thanks for the note. I forgot about the cows in 1 Samuel, very good addition.

My friend is all about nature and believes that nature is a way to understand the divine. He believes that he is closest to "the creator of the universe" when he is with animals in the wild. He is open to learning more about Christianity.

He is not a Christian, but is not opposed to learning more about Christianity than he knows now. Came from an agnostic background, no real faith tradition, but understands the basics. I'm pretty outdoorsy, so we chat about our last camping / hiking / fishing trip when we small talk. I just thought that some conversations about Christianity / God / Nature would be some interesting topics when they come up.

And, God's address to Job is proof that the real Divine Comedy is dripping with sarcasm. Love those chapters.

I also love these versus from chapter 9:

7 "But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
9 Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
10 In his hand is the life of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.

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I will send up some prayers for you in your conversations with your friend. I think your approach is awesome and I love how the Lord opens our eyes and ears to Him in so many unique and wonderful ways.

Oh, a couple more things that just came to me…!

1. How about verses that support how creation is only alive this very moment because of the creator holding it all together.

2. Verses about God taking care of the animals - the birds and their not worrying what they will eat, for example. And then carrying that further into the truth of how if God cares for the birds that much, how much more us.

Howdy, it is me! said:

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BusterAg said:

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Thanks for the note. I forgot about the cows in 1 Samuel, very good addition.

My friend is all about nature and believes that nature is a way to understand the divine. He believes that he is closest to "the creator of the universe" when he is with animals in the wild. He is open to learning more about Christianity.

He is not a Christian, but is not opposed to learning more about Christianity than he knows now. Came from an agnostic background, no real faith tradition, but understands the basics. I'm pretty outdoorsy, so we chat about our last camping / hiking / fishing trip when we small talk. I just thought that some conversations about Christianity / God / Nature would be some interesting topics when they come up.

And, God's address to Job is proof that the real Divine Comedy is dripping with sarcasm. Love those chapters.

I also love these versus from chapter 9:

7 "But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
9 Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
10 In his hand is the life of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.

---

I will send up some prayers for you in your conversations with your friend. I think your approach is awesome and I love how the Lord opens our eyes and ears to Him in so many unique and wonderful ways.

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Agree. I really like the way you said that.

And I firmly believe that there will be animals and nature in the New Jerusalem on Earth.

God put them when He created the world so I believe they will be there when He makes all things new again.

Thank you for your kind words and your prayers.

Have you pointed him to Paul Kingsnorth? He's converted Orthodox and heavily into this. He did a tour of holy wells last year and talks openly of his prior commitment to environmentalism and anti-globalism.

Might be worth vetting what you pass along, but he's my first thought.

https://paulkingsnorth.substack.com/

AGC said:

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Have you pointed him to Paul Kingsnorth? He's converted Orthodox and heavily into this. He did a tour of holy wells last year and talks openly of his prior commitment to environmentalism and anti-globalism.

Might be worth vetting what you pass along, but he's my first thought.

https://paulkingsnorth.substack.com/

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Funny you mention that.

My friend is actually the one that pointed me to Kingsnorth, and Paul is likely the reason he asked me about Christianity.

Kingsnorth is interesting. I am not anti-tech or anti-progress like Paul seems to be, but I generally like his reflections on the wilds. His Holy Well pilgrimage is pretty neat.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth

Genesis 1:1

Job 38 through the end...God speaking..I just quoted Job 38 below but there's so much more.

38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
2 "Who is this that darkens counsel
By words without knowledge?
3 "Now gird up your loins like a man,
And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!
4 "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding,
5 Who set its measurements? Since you know.
Or who stretched the line on it?
6 "On what were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
7 When the morning stars sang together
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 "Or who enclosed the sea with doors
When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb;
9 When I made a cloud its garment
And thick darkness its swaddling band,
10 And I placed boundaries on it
And set a bolt and doors,
11 And I said, 'Thus far you shall come, but no farther;
And here shall your proud waves stop'?
12 "Have you ever in your life commanded the morning,
And caused the dawn to know its place,
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
And the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 "It is changed like clay under the seal;
And they stand forth like a garment.
15 "From the wicked their light is withheld,
And the uplifted arm is broken.
16 "Have you entered into the springs of the sea
Or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 "Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
18 "Have you understood the expanse of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.
19 "Where is the way to the dwelling of light?
And darkness, where is its place,
20 That you may take it to its territory
And that you may discern the paths to its home?
21 "You know, for you were born then,
And the number of your days is great!
22 "Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,
Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
23 Which I have reserved for the time of distress,
For the day of war and battle?
24 "Where is the way that the light is divided,
Or the east wind scattered on the earth?
25 "Who has cleft a channel for the flood,
Or a way for the thunderbolt,
26 To bring rain on a land without people,
On a desert without a man in it,
27 To satisfy the waste and desolate land
And to make the seeds of grass to sprout?
28 "Has the rain a father?
Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 "From whose womb has come the ice?
And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?
30 "Water becomes hard like stone,
And the surface of the deep is imprisoned.
31 "Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades,
Or loose the cords of Orion?
32 "Can you lead forth a constellation in its season,
And guide the Bear with her satellites?
33 "Do you know the ordinances of the heavens,
Or fix their rule over the earth?
34 "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
So that an abundance of water will cover you?
35 "Can you send forth lightnings that they may go
And say to you, 'Here we are'?
36 "Who has put wisdom in the innermost being
Or given understanding to the mind?
37 "Who can count the clouds by wisdom,
Or tip the water jars of the heavens,
38 When the dust hardens into a mass
And the clods stick together?
39 "Can you hunt the prey for the lion,
Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 When they crouch in their dens
And lie in wait in their lair?
41 "Who prepares for the raven its nourishment
When its young cry to God
And wander about without food?

Isaiah 40:31: "…but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

The eagle is also a symbol of St. John the Evangelist.

The Hefty Lefty said:

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In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth

Genesis 1:1

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One of the cool things about the creation story is that God started with light.

You have to fast forward all the way into 1930 or so for man to realize that the speed of light in a vacuum is the most fundamental law of nature. It is the C in e=mC^2.

The speed of light is the same for all observers. The entirety of nature twists itself in pretzels in order to ensure that this constant is always held. Every other law of nature bows down to C.

The relative speed of the passage of time between two observers changes in order to obey C.

The shape of space expands, contracts, twists and turns in order to obey C.

Time and space are basically built out of the same unknown and unknowable thing in order to make sure that the universe always obeys C.

If Peter's confession is the foundation on which Christ built the church, the speed of light is the fundamental principle that the universe is founded on. All other facets of creation are secondary to C.

The fact that light comes first in Genesis, holds this special place in the universe as the foundation that every other rule is built on, and that Man didn't come to learn this until about 1900 years after Jesus died is amazing and fascinating to me.

Thank you all for your thoughts and comments. I appreciate the help. If you have others or new people want to chime in, keep them coming!