After the cold starkness of winter, spring gleefully reawakens our senses with her:
- Effusion of colorful flowers
- Scents of hyacinth, lilacs, and freshly-mowed grass
- Symphony of bird song
- Flavors of tender asparagus, luscious strawberries, and tart rhubarb
- Textures of furry pussy willows, fuzzy moss, and silken magnolia petals
Praise God for our abilities to see, smell, hear, taste, and touch, allowing us to enjoy Spring in so many ways!
Even better, those abilities allow us to meet God in at least five ways.
Our five senses help us understand God more clearly.
Consider how the far-flung stars and planets speak of his power; the clever camouflage of lizard, fawn, and frog display his wisdom; the endless variety of colors, shapes, and textures prove his creativity; the instinctive parenting skills of adult animals demonstrate his goodness.
The wonder of creation is
every encounter illuminates
something about God.
–Margaret Feinberg, Wonderstruck, 55
Our five senses help us experience God’s glory more profoundly.
- We can see his power at work in the transformation of lives [1].
- We can hear his wisdom in godly men and women, such as Thomas á Kempis or Corrie ten Boom (just two among millions!):
- We can feel God’s loving touch through a hug that conveys compassion, a worship song that quickens the heart, or a landscape vista that gives us glory-goosebumps.
- We can taste his goodness in all the variety of blessings we enjoy (Psalm 34:8).
- We can smell the fragrance of his sweet presence (Psalm 45:6-8)—if we pay attention.
Our five senses help us connect with God more intimately in solitude.
Many people call it Quiet Time—moments they spend with God in scripture reading/study, prayer, perhaps journaling, and/or listening to peaceful worship music.
It’s in the quiet we begin to see important realities of the spiritual realm, hear God’s voice within our spirits providing wisdom and encouragement, feel his presence more palpably as we touch our knees to the floor in prayer, and again, smell the fragrance of his sweet presence as he meets us in our place of solitude.
Our five senses help us worship God more intently in community.
The whole person, with all his senses,
with both mind and body,
needs to be involved in genuine worship.
Jerry Kerns [2]
Kerns would have us fully engaged–first to bless God’s heart and then to elevate the experience for us also.
How?
- See the majesty and splendor of God on his throne–in your imagination. This is who you are worshiping [3]!
- Hear the music and join in with grateful, enthusiastic praise [4].
- Feel the presence of God as you pray. Try placing your hands on your lap, palms up—open and empty, symbolic of humility and receptivity [5].
- Taste the bread and wine/juice with prayerful gratitude. Jesus is our Bread of Life who satisfies our spiritual hunger, who shed his blood for us so we might one day enjoy heaven with him. May we never become desensitized to the magnitude of his sacrifice.
- Smell the fragrance of God’s saints as they leave the perfume of kindness, uplift, and joy in their wake.
Our five senses help us live out our faith more joyfully.
When our heart’s desire is to serve God by serving others, we’ll aspire to live so people:
- See the Light of Jesus in our choices, behavior, and attitudes (Matthew 5:14-15)
- Hear us speak truth, wisdom, and encouragement (Proverbs 10:20-21)
- Feel the love of God in our interactions with them (John 13:35)
- Taste the flavorful salt of God’s divine grace within us (Matthew 5:13)
- Smell the fragrance of Christ in our lives (2 Corinthians 2:15-16)
And as we engage all five senses in these five ways, what will happen?
We’ll bring more glory to God and enjoy more fully the satisfying, abundant life his Son provides.
That sounds mighty good to me. You too?
[1] Stunning examples include Jake DeShazer (https://nancyaruegg.com/2016/08/18/a-miracle-of-forgiveness/), Johnny Hart (https://nancyaruegg.com/2018/08/09/johnny-and-jesus/), and Isobel Kuhn (https://nancyaruegg.com/2024/04/11/goodness-and-mercy-followed/).
[2] https://www.experiencingworship.com/articles/general/2001-7-great-quotes-on-worship.html
[3] See: https://nancyaruegg.com/2023/07/06/in-awe-of-gods-magnificence/
[4] See: https://nancyaruegg.com/2015/09/07/when-worship-loses-the-wonder/
[5] See: https://nancyaruegg.com/2015/03/23/the-ultimate-delight/
Art & photo credits: http://www.pixabay.com; http://www.pexels.com; http://www.goodfon.com; http://www.stockvault.net; http://www.canva.com; http://www.pickpik.com (2); http://www.heartlight.org.
To me too, Nancy!
We’ll celebrate together, Maria!
Yes!
Thanks for this post, Nancy; it has made me aware of how much I take for granted the gifts of these five senses the Lord has blessed me with.
It’s so easy to do–take for granted many of the daily gifts God bestows. Even with all of our time-saving devices, most people are moving too fast to engage the senses, unless something REALLY grabs their attention. Intentionality is a worthy goal, with many benefits to enjoy! We’ll strive together, Cheri!
Nancy, this is so beautiful. It amazes me that after experiencing so many decades of springs, I’m still filled with wonder every time I see (hear, smell …) the world waking up again.
Have a blessed spring.
Kudos to you for never losing the wonder, Annie! We lived in Florida for 40 years, where seasonal-changes are much more subtle. We’re greatly enjoying the Midwest again, and an “obvious” spring is one of the reasons why!
Love this phrase – spring gleefully reawakens our senses.. what a neat image. I don’t have and never have had a good sense of smell so when I read things about the senses I am always a little sad when it comes to fragrances but you noted this: “Smell the fragrance of God’s saints as they leave the perfume of kindness, uplift, and joy in their wake”. and you know how I love studying and walking with people of faith and learning more about that. Thank you for showing me in some ways I do have a good sense of smell.
I’m delighted God used this post to bring to your mind the stellar way you DO enjoy “fragrance,” Jean. Hallelujah for that!
Beautiful, Nancy!!
I grew a whole new appreciation for our five senses once I started going to counseling a few years ago, and my counselor recommended that I take notice of three of each of the five senses to help me stay calm and encouraged. It has been such a sweet blessing!!
Now were “five for SIX,” Alicia! Thank you for giving us another God-ordained reason for engaging the senses. I’d like to know more! Did your counselor recommend doing that once a day or every time anxiety or stress started to escalate? Do you keep a journal of these observations? I’m so glad the discipline has been a sweet blessing to you!
When life seems like too much, it’s great to take a few minutes to focus on these blessings. Then we’re more ready to talk to God and listen to Him.
Agreed, Linda. A positive, encouraged mindset (spirt-set?) contributes greatly to our attitude in worship and prayer. It’s no wonder we’re often prompted to begin prayer with adoration and praise.
OOOH, I love “spirit-set.” I’ll keep that new word in my mind and heart!😍
Aw . . . thank you Linda. I’m thinking “spirit-set” was Spirt-inspired!
Nancy, I am leaving a blog link for the post I did explaining using the five senses as a therapy tool… I never did journal the things, but that is a good idea!! It started out that my counselor would have me practice recognizing and naming three things for each sense and then later it became second nature to take notice of my senses if I felt panicked etc which would help remind me to stay calm and to trust the Lord.
Thank you so much for the link, Alicia. I see that I commented on that post–shame on me for not remembering! Your experience affirms the worth of this strategy; I’m so glad you shared it!
Its hard not to see/hear/smell God’s presence in the recent arrival of spring, Nancy. The plants, trees, and wildlife are bursting with life down here. We will hear Him rather triumphantly in the arrival of the cicadas in a few weeks 🙂 “… trust an unknown future to a known God” is wonderfully straightforward and comforting. Also, I really enjoy your use of elegant, not-oft-used words like “effusion”. They seem reserved (or only deserving) of references to Him.
Are you expecting a “special” inundation of cicadas this summer? We were overrun with the noisemakers a couple of years ago. The cacophony was so loud I had to wear earplugs to work in the yard! / I too love that Corrie ten Boom quote. She was a voice of experience we could all respect. / As for the use of elegant words, they’re just so much more fun than the pedestrian ones! That reminds me–speaking of fun with words–have you seen Christian comedian John Branyan perform the story of The Three Little Pigs in Shakespearean English? As another word lover, you’ll greatly appreciate his version! You can find it on YouTube.
Yes, we’re expecting quite the invasion of cicadas in the next few weeks. The experts says it’s an overlap of species not seen in a long, long time, doubling or tripling the normal numbers. If your description is anything close to what it will be like, I’d better have my earplugs at the ready! And thanks for the Three Little Pigs reference – I’ll definitely give that one a watch.
This blog is so impacting for me, Nancy. Using my five senses takes focus, something that I must work harder on doing these days. I think distractions and aging have made it harder for me to focus as I should, so it’s a discipline that I must…well…focus on! I so appreciate your encouraging blogs and how you make me think. Blessings, my friend.
And thank you for YOUR encouragement, Patty. How delightful that your posts always inspire me, and you find encouragement here! Praise God for giving us the privilege to minister to one another. / It’s a wonderful day here for engaging the senses–plenty of sunshine, cool temps, a light breeze. I pray you’re enjoying a stellar spring day as well!
Love “Our five senses help us connect with God more intimately in solitude.” So good, Nancy!
Thank you, Wynne. I praise God for his inspiration as he guides me in composing each post!
YES
And AMEN, Carolyn!
Love the beautiful picture. Spring time truly shouts of God’s glory!
Indeed, Barb!
You’ve shared some beautiful images and memes to welcome in the season of growth! So thank you for the “springboard” to encourage us to use our five senses as we walk along the path God set for us. Thanks, Nancy! 🙂
“Springboard!”–I love it! What a delightful pun, Nancy!
Nancy, I’m having some trouble leaving a comment today. Changed my password. Still don’t see the comment. So here it is:
May the abounding mercies of God bring us all back to our senses . . . in every way. This post is a spring tonic. Thank you, friend. AND . . . Cheers!
>
Thank you, Laurie, for your perseverance to leave a comment! Another friend has also had difficulty lately. I wonder where the trouble lies?! / Amen to your prayer–indeed may God in his mercy bring us back to our senses. (I think that’s a prayer he’ll delight to answer “yes” as long as we ask with humility and sincerity!)
Thank you for this beautiful and uplifting post! You have knitted everything together in a marvelous way…your words are like a little prayer shawl, a place of blessing and comfort.
What lovely encouragement, Linda. Praise God these words were like a little prayer shawl for you!
Nature itself is a sure testament to the goodness of God to a people so undeserving. Thanks for this beautiful reminder.
You’re welcome, R-H. Praise God you found beauty here!