Genesis 1:31.– And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

How many times recently have you stopped, taken a deep breath, looked around and said “this is good”?
Myra and I have started to walk, regularly, around our neighborhood. Now I don’t say it’s such a special place — but there’s plenty of grass, some very satisfying trees, and some pretty ponds.
For much of the time that we have lived here we have, like many others I suspect, taken it for granted. But now we have stopped to look, it is full of wonders. There are squirrels who, always skittish, leap up the trees when we get too close … and then peek at us around the trunk or a branch. Then there’s the rabbits, just as watchful, who freeze when we are near and then, when they’ve checked us out, carry on nibbling.
All through the days of creation God looked at His work and found it good. At the end of the sixth day, having created man — His masterpiece — and all the work being finished, He found it not just good but very good. In fact it was perfect.
Even in it’s fallen state this world is still very good. When we turn our eyes from the ground to the air on our walks we see beautiful birds — northern cardinals, sweet singing mockingbirds, red winged blackbirds, magnificent eagles — The beauty and variety is breathtaking … “Oh Lord my God … Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.” (Psalm 8:6-8)
As we walked out tonight we were passed by a few people. There was the lady struggling with the dog that was a little too large for her. There were the boys, heads down, focused on their race. Several cars swept by. There was the solitary walker, marching vigorously by, eyes down listening to her iPod. Sadly not one was seeing the goodness around them.
Oh, and don’t let me forget … On the water, the little blue heron, the mother duck and her babies, the Muscovy ducks … little delights everywhere. And Myra’s special pleasure — the trees, each one with a different shade of green.
Have you had a walk like ours in the recent past? Have you stopped and taken a breath of air and basked in the golden early evening sun? Have you felt a surprising moment of deep, satisfying peace? It’s my belief — with no scriptural base — that you have felt a distant echo of the satisfaction of God. It is very good!