Mondays with Muir
“No wilderness in the world is so desolate as to be without divine ministers. God’s love covers all the earth as the sky covers it, and also fills it in every pore. And this love has voices heard by all who have ears to hear.”
John Muir
As Isaiah witnessed the seraphs call to each other “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” Isaiah 6:3
I am one of many who have been inspired by John Muir. Most know of him as the Father of Conservation, and for the key role he played in establishing Yosemite State Park, later to become our nation's second national park. Fewer know of how integral faith was to Muir’s calling to preserve and protect wilderness. I’ve summarized just a bit about his life.
The Yosemite Grant marks the first time in US history that park land was set aside by the federal government specifically for preservation and public enjoyment. John Muir was a critical player in this dedication of land, as well as defining its boundaries. This idea of establishing and preserving natural wonders for future generations is uniquly American. He went on to lead many other preservation initiatives, and to inform US presidents on conservation. There is much to be said about his legacy. Having been a Landscape Architecture major and Natural Resources minor in college, I recall learning about Muir and his place in history. What I never recall learning through any of our college reading was the strong and undeniable connection he found between nature and God. To separate this from his place in history is not doing his legacy justice. God was so truly revealed to him through rock, plant, glacier and stream, he dedicated his life to preserving wild creation and helping others feel its joy, see its glory, and hear its song.
This, to me, is all the more interesting considering Muir’s early childhood. He was a boy of Scotland, and the son of a preacher. His father beat the bible into him, harshly demanding he memorize scripture. By age 11, little Muir was able to recite the entire New Testament, and three quarters of the Old Testament. Can you imagine?! Having an earthly father who was so rigid and merciless, focused on the knowledge of God, but not on extending His love and grace, somehow did not harden Muir’s heart. Remarkably, it remained soft enough for all of that text and knowledge crammed into his mind to become a true and sweet faith. He had no doubt of God’s mighty hand, having seen it revealed to him in mountain, glacier, flower, and tree. Through studying nature, Muir experienced God’s love, mercy and power, complementing all of the truths and promises his mind had already memorized. Creation and the bible went hand in hand, both witnessing to each other. Today, they are so often separated. Nature is a science, and Jesus is boxed into religion. Truly this is a shame, because so much is to be gained by realizing their echoing of one another.
My husband and I traveled to Muir Beach, Muir Woods and Yosemite National Park for
our 10th wedding anniversary. We captured some of its beauty. Enjoy!
El Capitan and Half Dome
Half Dome
Succulent at The Cottage at Muir Beach (snag it if you can)
A Coastal Redwood
Sunset on our way out of Yosemite Valley
tree hugging a sequoia, tyring to avoid spider webs
