Earth's Beauty as Paradox

A short contemplative poem

I am currently trying to develop a more robust personal theology of how Christians should bridge the gap between natural affections for the good things of this earth, and spiritual affections for a perfected heaven and earth. When I became a Christian around six years ago, I had a strong sense of displacement. I felt like my life had been completely transformed, and the way that I saw the world growing up was not the way the world truly was. Christ called us to hate the things of the world. I resonated deeply with the famous lines

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Often times the world did seem strangely dim, why shouldn't it? However, I always felt an apparent tension between the expressed dimness of this world, and the resounding verses of "This is my Father's World"

This is my Father's world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres

...

This is my Father's world:
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker's praise.

Which is it? Is the world dim, or is it a full-throated declaration of God's glory. I think the answer lies in the question: Which things of the world? It seems that we can sometimes confound capital "Things of This World" i.e. lust, greed, love of money etc... with lowercase "things of this world" i.e. waterfalls, mountains, forests, families, food etc...earthly realities that exist pre and post-fall. I hesitate to say more, as I hope to continue to sharpen my thinking in this arena, but I find myself moving towards a more protestant? reformed? theology of natural beauty and redemption of human-nature. If you have any well-worn insights, I would love to hear them, they would profit me greatly.

Below are some verses I wrote recently while pondering these things. I wrote them surrounding a few specific memories I have with my family in the Blue Ridge.

Some Contemplative Verses

I Love,

The expressions of wonder
Experienced fully
Dancing across my daughter’s face

The embrace of her mother
Pondering the beauty
Above this Appalachian Landscape

The sharp edges and ridgelines
Green valleys they secret
Softened by a distinct blue haze

The sweet air of the springtime
Belies the last season
Masking remembrance of any decay

The Deep sense of nostalgia
No occasion of reason
Craves restoration of this particular place

Dim reflections of Glory surround me
(Let me not forsake The Commonplace)
They order me to a Heavenly City
(When my nature is restored by Grace)

- Jackson

A few pictures of our view of the sunset from Waterrock Knob, NC