He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. Ecc 3:11

Many years ago, when my children were in Rogers Elementary School in Fairhaven, MA, one of the great resulting memories was a collective effort on the part of us parents, volunteer friends, and business sponsors to erect a Big Toy Playground.  It was the first high level playground on school property where untold numbers of children were attracted and played. Understandably, playing on it soon got top billing over who was responsible for building it.

Speaking of high-level playgrounds, did you know that there are 63 National Parks in the United States?  Each one of them has special geological features that separate and qualify them from other land areas in our nation.  Whether it be majestic mountains, deep forests, sparkling lakes, sprawling plains, coastal waterways, glacial evidences, dry cactus ranges, or swampy everglades, every National Park has a wonderful uniqueness that helps to draw many millions of visitors every year. My wife and I have had the good fortune of visiting 50 of these incredible places. In today’s Message of Hope, entitled “God’s Playgrounds,” I’d like to highlight the effort behind the wonders in each of these parks and give top billing where it’s due.

Hurray for our five natural senses. They help us to enjoy the scenery, physical formations, and to play and interact on land, in air, and on water.  It’s easy for us to be interested and captured in the presentation that each Park shares.  Videos and ranger lectures at the various visitor’s centers are historically informative and suggestive as to what varying activities are best suited for those of us attending. 

Being child-like, but more mature than the children years ago on the Big Toy, we’re ready to play but always drawn to the true heart of the matter. In addition to utilizing our given senses, there’s far more to appreciate in the National Park story.  In fact, by faith and beyond our seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and/or feeling, we have a built-in craving to know the truth about the Park playground and never to forget Who to thank for its creation.

I thrill to know and believe that the Bible is God’s Word and it’s His Truth, penned by men. It opens with “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”  It later describes Him as Holy, Ever Present, Omniscient, Omnipotent, and the Love that never fails. Just think of how loving and thoughtful He was to provide these awesome playgrounds as part of His blueprint for us to enjoy.  As child-like adults we will never just come to play without being thankful and glorifying our Loving Creator for thinking and blessing us in creating His Big Toys – God’s Playgrounds.

Gen 1:1-3; Rom 1:20, 25; Col 1:16; 1 John 3; Luke 7:32; Ps 77:14; Is 45:12; Heb 11:3; 1 John 4:8; Ecc 12:1