God around

Living in Cotonou, I have little connection with nature. Around me is city -- busyness, crowding, dirt and smoke. But God is present and there are moments when my soul is calmed. I often ride home from work around 7pm as the sun is setting. People here have come to call the sun my friend because I always talk about its beauty as it sets. At that point, that half hour, I'm almost always free of thought, of worry or irritation. Everything is set aside and I gaze at the beauty of the sun setting knowing that there is so much that is so much bigger than me. I had recognized it as spiritual but upon reading this morning's devotion, I see that it is a time that God has given me to be with him in a way that is not mental or emotional but just is. I realize that this is why I crave time in nature as well. I do see the intricate work of God as the world and all its micro-chasms are alive with life. Life, a force that we do not understand, yet God has created it and it is good.