1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to 2 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: have you listening with us. Today's topic is how enjoying 3 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: a simple picnic can give you a fresh perspective that 4 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: leads you closer to God. We'll return with the devotional 5 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:41,239 Speaker 1: after a brief message from our sponsors. Enjoy a Picnic 6 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 1: with God, Written and read by Whitney Hoppler. He makes 7 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 1: grass grow for the cattle and plans for people to cultivate, 8 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: bringing forth food from the earth, wine that gladdens human hearts, 9 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 1: oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains 10 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: their hearts. One four fourteen through fifteen and IV. Some 11 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: of my favorite childhood memories are of simple picnics with 12 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 1: my mom in our backyard or at local parks. Mom 13 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 1: could turn an ordinary afternoon into an extraordinary experience just 14 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: by packing sandwiches, grapes, chips, and lemonade for us to 15 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:25,479 Speaker 1: eat and drink outside. I remember how I always got 16 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 1: a fresh perspective while picnicking in the fresh air. My 17 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: world seemed to open up in nature, and my senses 18 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: seemed stronger too. I noticed the way the sunlight filtered 19 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: through the trees, and how every different type of bird 20 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: sang a different kind of song. The sandwiches somehow tasted 21 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: better outside than indoors as well. Most importantly, on those picnics, 22 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: I felt connected to something bigger than myself. Later I 23 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: learned that something was a someone, God who always joined 24 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: us on our pace nicks. In our fast paced world, 25 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: we often rush through eating and don't spend enough time 26 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: outside in nature. But God actually designed them to help 27 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:15,639 Speaker 1: us connect to him. Psalm one O. Four fourteen through 28 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: fifteen points out that God provides a creative variety of 29 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: plants that people and animals alike enjoy. God could have 30 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: made all food and drinks taste the same and provided 31 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 1: them to us just to survive, but instead God created 32 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:37,359 Speaker 1: a wonderful variety for us to truly enjoy. This passage 33 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:41,119 Speaker 1: says that God created wine that gladdens, oil to make 34 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 1: faces shine, and bread that sustains. In other words, God 35 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 1: cares about us actually enjoying our experiences. God wants us 36 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: to do more than just eat a granola bar in 37 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: a hurry while driving to work, rush through lunch at 38 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: our desks, and pick up dinner in a fast food 39 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 1: drive through line. God wants us to eat mindfully so 40 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 1: we can really enjoy the experience in eating and reflect 41 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: on God's generosity and love for us. God also decided 42 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: us to enjoy spending time in nature. We can learn 43 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: a lot about God and nature because creation reflects the 44 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 1: Creator's qualities. A picnic can help us connect with God 45 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: by doing both of those activities that God intends for us. 46 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 1: Experience that for yourself. Schedule a picnic into your schedule 47 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: sometime soon. Sit on a blanket on the grass for 48 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: the cattle mentioned in sal one of four, or at 49 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 1: a picnic table on top of the grass, Say a 50 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: prayer of thanks to God for the food, the bread 51 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: that sustains and all the other food you brought with you, 52 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: which God ultimately made possible for you to enjoy. Eat slowly, 53 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: savoring every bite of your food, so you can taste 54 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: God's goodness to you. You're in a picnic, you can 55 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: let the fresh air inspire you to find a fresh 56 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: perspective on your life. Let yourself pay full attention to 57 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: all the wonder around you, and let that remind you 58 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: of how God cares for you in every detail of 59 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:19,359 Speaker 1: your life. Look up at the vast sky and down 60 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,159 Speaker 1: at the tiny wildflowers, to see how God designed every 61 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: part of creation, everything of all sizes with loving care. 62 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: Enjoy a picnic with God whenever you can. Don't wait 63 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 1: for a special occasion. Pack a sandwich, find some grass nearby, 64 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: and let the simple pleasures of God's creation lead you 65 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: back to Him. Intersecting faith in life as you consider 66 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: enjoying a picnic and how that can help you move 67 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 1: closer to God. Reflect on these questions. What's one of 68 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,600 Speaker 1: your favorite memories of being outdoors as a child. Did 69 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:02,599 Speaker 1: you notice God's presence with you? Then? How to spending 70 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: time in nature now help you look beyond your stressful 71 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: circumstances to God. What's one simple pleasure in this food 72 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: you enjoy on picnics, like a certain flavor or texture 73 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 1: that you're grateful to God for. Psalm one oh four 74 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: mentions blessings that make our hearts flat. What's one part 75 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: of God's creation that always lives your mood? How can 76 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 1: you change your schedule to include picnics with God? Doing 77 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: good weather on a regular basis? Further reading Psalm thirty 78 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: four to eight, Matthew six twenty six, Acts fourteen seventeen, 79 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 1: Genesis one thirty one Romans one twenty. Thanks for listening 80 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 1: to today's devotional. 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