The Woods as a Cathedral

There is a feeling you get when you enter a forest; you cannot help but look up, see the sky etched between the branches.

Sometimes, those great boughs seem so heavy, as if they carried the weight of the world; the twisted limbs remind us that life is not always easy.

And then, there is that hush, the wind whispering through the woods; you sense the stillness within, hear only your footsteps on the earthen floor.

The choir begins, with one bird after another chiming in; your own voice seems strangely quiet.

If you take it one step at a time, you gaze upon the arches; there is divine craftsmanship in this cathedral.

It is full of light; what a marvelous place to pray, praise the One who built this house of so many trees.

Now and then, a leaf cascades down as if from heaven; you watch the fall, understand the passage of leaves from green to gold.

Everything shimmers in the cathedral, the golden sun casting its glow effortlessly; a glimpse of the blue sky reminds us that eternity waits, just beyond the wall of the woods.

The door stands open; we step inside and find our way.

There is room enough for us all in the cathedral; the space is lit with an incandescent light, spreading out into the universe.

The wind is blowing, soft in echoes of love: the chambers of our hearts are full.

Above, the branches dance: it is there the angels find their song, a melody of eternal grace.

“For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to Keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest you dash thy foot against a stone.” Psalms 91: 11-12

Exodus 14:14: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Linda Raha is a Christian writer who has kept a journal for a great many years. The journal entries are a mix of poems, reflections, and anecdotes on any number of topics. For Linda, the theme of the sea is a recurring one. Her love of the ocean and spending time there manifests itself in much of what she writes.
20 comments
  1. I thought of the Old Testament passage, “The trees of the field will clap their hands.”. Thank you for the pristine description. I feel like I was there in the woods. God’s grip – Alan

    1. Thank you for sharing that verse! I should have added that one! It is amazing the treasure trove of bible verses on any given thing. God has everything covered in such a beautiful way.

    1. 🙂 🙂 🙂

  2. Love the picturesque nature in this piece

    1. Thank you! I love the woods. I love the quietude and the sense of peace nature brings to us.

  3. divine description, the best cathedral of all!

    1. It is a beautiful cathedral!

      1. nature heals in many ways 🙂

        1. You are so right! The more time we spend outdoors, the better we feel. God is good! There is no end to the wonders we find in the natural world; we could never exhaust the possibilities for finding beauty. A single shell from the ocean is a miracle; every tree tells a story.

          1. you say it so poetically, take care precious!

  4. Beautiful piece and so atmospheric! You transported me straight into the woods 🙂 Woodland areas are so peaceful.

    1. I live in a place surrounded by trees. Whatever the season, the trees are beautiful. Autumn is a lovely time when the leaves change color, eventually fall, and we welcome winter. I feel like it is a good time for us to embrace some changes as well. I have already bought a pumpkin, and I have ‘changed seasons’ in the house with fall decorations. Fall is a good time to reflect on our lives and on our dreams; little changes can bring a harvest of good things.

  5. You’ve captured the restorative feeling the woods always gives me. It is one of the blessings in my life that has never changed.

    1. When I was a very little girl, I went into the woods with my mother and grandmother to look for Lady Slippers. It was then that I fell in love with the woods as a magical place. I remember that I did not want to leave; the sun seemed so bright when we stepped away. God has spilled His magic into so many places…He is delighted when we find it.

      1. Yes, indeed, He is. I remember finding Lady Slippers in the woods with my mother when I was a kid.

        1. These are the things we never forget! 🙂

          1. And I’m very glad of it!

  6. It is dusk here, and this is a fitting piece to come home to.
    To rest heart in. To trust and let God take over.

    1. You always say the most beautiful things! Yes, we must rest in God, knowing ‘His ways are above our ways, and His thoughts above our thoughts.'(Isaiah 55:8-9.)

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