The girls and I were driving to the corps when one of them began exclaiming excitedly and knocking on the car window. “Look at the birds!” she exclaimed. “Look at the beautiful birds!” I turned to see what she was pointing at and found a flock of ordinary, dirty seagulls. My daughter Olivia has a gift for seeing God’s beauty in both the majesty and the simplicity of creation. I am not a fan of seagulls. They are annoying, rude, and sometimes just plain gross. To Olivia, they’re worthy of amazement. The snow on distant mountains, a pink and purple sunset, a trail of ants, and a raven in the dumpster all bring the same level of awe and excitement to Olivia because they all testify to the creativity of our God.

In Romans 1:20, Paul writes, “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature.” All of creation, the basic and the complex, testifies to the character and nature of God. The massiveness and permanence of the mountains declare of God’s timelessness. The intricacy of trees, from the veins on a leaf to the roots underground, speak to God’s attention to systems and details. The sheer variety of animals in the world cries out the creativity of our God. Even the common seagull reminds me that God can create beauty and awe in the most ordinary of circumstances. Their squawk becomes a song in this light.

Creation not only declares the invisible attributes of God, but it’s also an avenue by which God speaks to us. Regularly, Jesus used the creation around Him to teach His disciples. Be it fig trees, swallows, flowers, dogs or fish, creation was a regular part of how He communicated His messages to His followers. God continues to speak to us through His creation today. Please note this is not a new age belief or an occult understanding of creation. We do not worship creation. Rather, creation can be the avenue through which our eyes are drawn upwards towards the Lord. We worship the Creator. Today, God’s creation is available to us just as it was for the ancient Hebrews or the disciples of Jesus. In the awesomeness of a redwood tree or the ingenuity of a small spider, there is an opportunity to know the Creator and His many attributes.

Engage

• When is the last time you paid attention to creation?
• Some might have more accessibility to creation than others, but none of us are totally cut off. Perhaps part of this practice for you is to simply notice where God’s creation is present.
• What qualities or attributes of God do you notice by observing the creation around you? How are we called to respond to that attribute?

Supporting Scripture

“Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he is coming!” (Psalm 96:11–13a)

Photo: A-Digit/Getty Images | This article was originally titled “The Song of Seagulls” in the July 2026 issue of The War Cry.