“For [God’s] invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.  So [ungodly men] are without excuse” (Romans 1:20 ESV).

I read this verse, and I nod my head, because I can say with complete confidence that I have seen the hands of the Most High God.

I’ve stood on the spine of the Rockies, tasting the snowflakes that twinkled from the windblown clouds.  I’ve visited a grim storm-battered cape in Maine, full of the incessant clanging of the bell buoys, while gray shrouds of fog swept around me and the famous Bass Harbor lighthouse threw its beam over the choppy steel waters.  I’ve heard loons yodeling on northern lakes and wolves howling in black-velvet nights and elk bugling in the subalpine forests.  I’ve hugged sequoia trees in California, lost my way among South Dakota’s Badlands, and watched Old Faithful erupt in a summer snowstorm.  I’ve hunted for shells in the Outer Banks and waited in a soporific desert night for a perfect full moon to rise over the elegant curve of Utah’s Delicate Arch.  

And in all these moments, I’ve seen the hands of God.  I’ve seen Him shredding the clouds in a prairie windstorm and tossing their fragments across the sky.  I’ve seen Him paint the western sky so that it burned with fire behind the mesas of the Texas desert.  I’ve seen His power in every waterfall, His constancy in every mountain, His beauty in each wildflower, and His artistry in every new day.  

And sometimes, when the beauty is so tremendous that it nearly bursts my frail human soul, when the stars spray across the sky in a dazzling parade, when the glory of God as revealed in His handiwork seems extravagantly, outrageously, good, I can’t help but wonder—why?  Why did God make such an incredible world?  Why did He invest such loving care into His creation?  

The answer is twofold.  First of all, God created everything “for [His] pleasure” (Revelation 4:11 KJV).  But beyond that, He designed this world to declare His glory—and to woo us back to Him.  

In the hands of believers, the creation is more than a well-oiled machine or a giant science experiment.  It’s a testimony to the greatness of the God we serve—and one of the best avenues for presenting the gospel to the unsaved.  

This form of evangelism is my passion, and that’s why this blog post is especially exciting for me, because it is today that I have the privilege of introducing you to the Wild family—Mike and Libby Wild and their four sons, Morgan, Hudson, Kian, and Asher.  As modern-day missionaries who have spent nearly twenty years ministering in the remote jungles of Indonesia, these amazing people are well-known for deriving spiritual truths and insights from the beautiful creation around them.  In addition to the family’s ministry overseas, the four boys have extended their outreach around the world with their extremely popular Wild Brothers DVD series as well as their YouTube vlog, “Highlands to Island.” 

I have followed the ministry of the Wilds for years, and I have been so impressed with the depth of this family’s commitment to God and creation-focused evangelism that I invited them to join me in a discussion of the attributes of God as revealed in creation.  I am extremely thankful and honored that they accepted my invitation, and through the magic of video call services, I was able to have an incredible conversation with Morgan, Kian, and Asher—all the way from Indonesia to Arkansas.  I was not only blessed by my time with them; I was challenged and inspired to continue striving to use God’s creation to reach others with the gospel.  

The remarkable story of the Wild family begins when Mike Wild was a young man studying marine biology in Florida.  A new believer, Mike was shocked when he learned of unreached people groups in remote regions who had yet to receive the gospel, and he felt burdened to dedicate his life to sharing God’s good news in these areas.  This calling led to the Wild family being sent in 2003 as missionaries to the Wano tribe in the Indonesian province of Papua.  

A semi-nomadic tribe scattered across a vast, rugged terrain, the Wano were a true challenge to reach—logistically and spiritually.  The Wild family found themselves living in the depths of the jungle and had to become completely self-sufficient.  Even more difficult to penetrate than the topography was the spiritual darkness of these animistic people, who were completely unreached and filled with fear of evil spirits.  However, after years of patient ministry, the Wano church was born in 2010.  Over the past nine years, the church has continued to flourish; in fact, they are sending out their own missionaries, and the Wilds have transferred to another area of Indonesia known as Kri Island.  Their current focus is on exploring sustainable income opportunities in the field of ecotourism for the Wano and other local peoples to become self-sufficient financially.  

This brief history, however, is merely a glimpse into the deep heart of this family.  They’re not only dedicated to serving God no matter the cost; they are also determined to share His message with the world.  Their ministry and outreach is driven by one guiding principle:  to use the truths contained in God’s creation to point the world to the Creator.  And whether they are teaching in the tribe, translating the Scriptures, or collecting footage for their DVD series, they are always seeking to inspire other believers to share the good news.  

And that is where it becomes personal for us.  After all, we can’t help but respect the Wilds for their ministry, and we are awed by their dedication and resilience.  And unfortunately, it’s all too easy to stop at simple admiration because we can’t imagine embracing their calling.  Maybe you know evangelism is important, but the thought of living in a jungle overseas seems to require a level of dedication you can’t muster.  Or perhaps you can easily see how the Wilds can use creation for God’s glory when they live in a breathtaking tropical landscape, but you awake each morning to a concrete jungle and the roar of traffic.  If we’re not careful, the story of the Wild family can dwindle in our minds to nothing more than respect and awe tinged with a trace of guilt.  We can applaud them politely, shrug at our inability to do the same, and return to our everyday lives—secretly longing to do more.  

That’s why I want to encourage you today, because the calling of the Wild family—to share God’s Word by using God’s world—is the same calling incumbent upon every follower of Christ.  The outward manifestation of this burden will assume different shapes for every person, but as believers, we are commanded by our Lord to share His love with the world.  

And to fulfill this command, you don’t have to go to Indonesia or visit the jungle.  In the supposedly “Christian” nation of America, we are finding ourselves in a society that grows increasingly darker every day.  People all around us—friends, coworkers, classmates—are in need of hope.  And if “the heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1) simply by their existence, then imagine the power of God’s creation in the hands of His children, pointing others to His majesty!

At first, this can sound daunting.  Evangelism may be a way of life for the Wilds, but for many of us in our culture, it’s difficult or intimidating.  So where do we start?  What do we say?  Who will listen to us?  These questions were uppermost in my mind as I met with the Wilds, and I was inspired and challenged by their answers.  

The Wilds emphatically believe that we must begin by first recognizing that all people everywhere experience an inherent sense of awe in the presence of natural wonders.  Think about a star-sprinkled summer night, with Heaven’s priceless jewels tossed across black velvet—or frothing waves flinging themselves onto the sandy margin of the world—or a sunset swiped with all the fiery hues of God’s palette.  I’m sure you’ll agree with me that in the presence of true magnificence, even the most flippant among us become small, and the first emotion we experience is the urgent desire to worship something larger than humanity.  Unfortunately, unbelievers have no outlet for this inner sense of wonder.  I’ve never witnessed heathen tribal ceremonies, but even in the most breathtaking natural settings, I’ve seen fellow wilderness enthusiasts perform metaphysical rituals, seeking to commune with “the universe”; credit the vague concept of “Mother Nature” with the beauty they behold; or squelch the need to worship by attributing the whole creation to mechanical evolutionary processes, with no room for a deity at all.  However, as Christians, we realize that the reverence we feel in creation is nothing less than the humble acknowledgement that God is bigger than we are.  

As the sole carriers of this truth, we must capitalize on this human instinct to worship.  However, to address the need to worship, we first must cast God in His appropriate role as Creator.  The Wilds have always prioritized this by beginning their chronological Bible training not with the gospels, but with Genesis.  In fact, they frequently utilize materials created by Answers in Genesis, a creation-focused ministry that partners with them.  Starting in Genesis, from their point of view, is necessary to lay the foundation of God’s story—the creation of man, the reality of evil, the promise of a Savior—as well as provide the background necessary to appreciate the gospel.  Especially important is the concept of the earth’s fallen state; in fact, this is typically how the Wilds engage nonbelievers, because everyone, regardless of theological persuasion, can agree that despite the great beauty we see in creation, the world is still marred by sin and suffering.  Alongside splashing mountain streams and dainty deer are the grim realities of animal predation, disease, and natural disasters.   For the Wild family, explaining the Fall and the resulting separation from God sets the stage for a presentation of the gospel, our position in relation to God, and provides a way to introduce the hope of a new earth to come. 

Yet even in its fallen state, our world is still bursting with evidence of God’s glory.  I’m reminded of a quotation by the screenwriter Federico Fellini:  “All art is autobiographical; the pearl is the oyster’s autobiography.”  If this is true of human endeavors, then how much more should we expect to see the personality and character of the Great Artist reflected in the immense masterpiece He has made?  The possibilities for doing so are nearly endless, because each of us is prepared through varying personalities and experiences to look at creation and see a slightly different angle of the heart of God. 

A few of these different angles were evident when Morgan, Kian, Asher, and I shared some of the ways we perceive God in nature.  The responses were all unique—Kian mentioned his ability to notice God’s intricate handiwork in the delicately balanced ecosystems of Indonesia (one of the most biodiverse locations in the world), while Asher explained how the cyclical nature of creation reflects God’s constancy and sense of design.  Morgan pictured God as provider, referencing Matthew 6:26, which speaks of God’s care for the birds and His even greater watchfulness over the details of our lives.  With breathtaking sunsets and elaborate mountain profiles on my mind, I commented on God’s artistry and creativity.  I’m sure that if you consider this question, your answer might be different than all of these—and that’s a beautiful thing!  The diversity in nature allows us to share God’s majesty in a way that is personal to us and thus interesting to our listeners.  

And delivering the truth about our Lord in a personal way is truly the heart of the matter.  In a world of people searching for truth, it is our task as God’s ambassadors to interpret His message of love for them.  Remember that in Romans 1:20 (the passage with which I began this post), Paul reminds us that anyone can see God’s attributes in creation.  But although this annihilates the excuses of atheists and agnostics, it is not sufficient to lead people into a personal relationship with their Lord.  The majesty of creation can spark a spiritual journey for a searching soul, but without the Word of God, that journey will end in a cul-de-sac of misconceptions and false assumptions.  

Think of it this way:  by looking at creation, an unbelieving world can see the outline of God.  However, it is only when someone lovingly shares the nature of God with them—interpreting what they are seeing—that they can complete the picture.  That is why Jesus came to earth as the “Word…made flesh” (John 1:14 KJV), and that is why the Wilds have dedicated themselves to following His example by bringing the full-color picture of the glory of God to their friends in Indonesia. 

When we evangelize people using the starting point of God’s creation, it changes lives.  However, even more strikingly, it changes us.  This is perfectly illustrated by the shift in perspective experienced by the Wano after they received the gospel.  For these new believers, creation ceased to be symbolic of evil spirits and foreboding and took on a beautiful new meaning as a manifestation of the love of God.  They began to view His wonders with a heart of gratitude and awe.  The same is true for us:  when we look at creation through the lens of God’s love, we can’t help but be overwhelmed by His goodness and grace.  We realize that nature is neither a mysterious force to be venerated or a random byproduct of natural processes, and we recognize the multitude of astounding blessings with which God has filled His creation.  Most importantly, we become eager to connect with the One Who spoke such beauty into existence, and we long to share His message with the world, just as the Wild family has been doing for almost twenty years.

As I conclude this blog, I’m issuing two challenges to you, my friends.  First of all, please pray for this amazing missionary family.  On one hand, they are experiencing great joy right now in finally witnessing the Wano church unfolding into maturity.  Also, an important phase of the Bible translation project begun by Mike Wild so many years ago is nearing completion; by the end of this year, the entire New Testament will be available in the Wano language.  However, despite these great victories, this is also a time of transition in the Wilds’ ministry; the three older boys will be returning to America in December to attend college, and the family is prayerfully considering God’s next leading both for their overseas mission and for their Wild Brothers video productions. 

The second challenge is simply this:  find God’s fingerprints this week.  As I write this, I’m thinking about how our world glows with glory.  I’m contemplating the voice of God in every birdsong, His vibrant beauty burning in every sunset, His tender detail in the cellular systems of our bodies.  “He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27 NASB), so wherever you might be this week, just look around you.  He’ll be there.  And perhaps, just perhaps, He will lead you to someone with whom you can share His beauty.  There’s no higher goal for every Christian—relaying the message of love to an aching world, using the handiwork of our incredible Lord.   

Did you enjoy this post? Were you as blessed by the testimony of this family as I have been? Please let me know in the comments! Also, please join with me in encouraging the Wilds and their ministry. I encourage you to use the links below to watch their awe-inspiring videos, follow them on Facebook and Instagram, and read more about the work they are doing! All the beautiful photos in this post belong to the Wild family; you can view more snapshots of their lives on their social media accounts.

You can watch their latest vlog release here:

Please show your support for this family by subscribing to their YouTube vlog, following them on social media, and sharing their work with your friends. We need more people who will use the lessons in God’s world to point to the truth of God’s Word!