God's Lessons in Nature

I often find so much solace in nature, because I know it is so beautiful because it is created by God.  We went to Shell Beach today in Sonoma County, CA.  The walk out to the beach was a little tedious with two small children.  Andy had the one year old in a backpack, and I was charged with the 3 year old.  It was a beautiful time, filled with tide pools and starfish.  On the way back from the beach, I was helping my 3 year old up the steep and narrow stairs, which I knew were very dangerous if one of us slipped.  I carried her where I could but other parts I made her walk, while holding her hand so tightly and basically making her move forward.  The word that came to my mind was "compel".  Every time she would slip, I would compensate by pulling up on her so she wouldn't fall.  As I was "compelling" her up the hill, it occurred to me that this is much like what my Heavenly Father does for me - takes me by my hand and pushes me along, holding on so tight that if I slip He makes up for it.  I thought little more of it until we got home and then later when everyone was asleep, my meditation on how powerful this analogy was began.  It IS the story of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I looked up "compel" in the Bible, and found 2 Corinthians 5:14, which reads in the NIV: "For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died."  Christ's love compels us.  And I was thinking about the path we were on, this steep and narrow path... and I found Matthew 7:14- "But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."  And then, as I was even writing these very words, I realized on this path I was pushing my beloved daughter along because I knew where we were going even though it was not an easy path.  We had to go home.  I had to push her along so she didn't get distracted along the way, looking back to the place that she had so enjoyed.  But when she slipped, I compensated for her and caught her.  And when the path was too difficult, I carried her.  But I was never going to let her fall.  Isn't this what Christ does for us?  It's called grace.  It's a beautiful place to live!  God gave Jesus to us to sacrifice His life for us, so that we never have to fall again.  When we walk with Christ, this is what He does for us.  But... we have to trust Him.  I think the times we fall are when we don't trust Him and we resist His guiding hand.  And I can tell you this, if my daughter had resisted me today, I would have spanked her little bottom, because it was imperative that she behave on that hill or she could have been seriously injured.  Doesn't God do this for us?  Discipline us when we need it?  After all, He alone knows how dangerous the hill is.  

There's probably so much more to this experience that could be parallelled to the Gospel story.  I pray Lord, that I get everything from this as you want me to understand.  Thank you for real-life application and teaching through my life as a mother.  

1 Timothy 2:15

New International Version (NIV)

15 But women[a] will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.