The other night I was driving home from town after running a few errands. A squall line had just gone through and rained hard with high winds, lightning and thunder. It was quick but pretty intense. As it cleared out the sky to the west was a beautiful pallet of blues, pinks, peaches and oranges as the sun was just about setting. Anyway, the sky had some magnificent cumulus clouds that the sun was partially hiding behind. When the sun was clearing the edge of the cloud bank a sudden ray shot across the sky to the east and instantly there was a spectacular rainbow. The rainbow was situated up against the dark and ominous storm that just went through. The intensity and beauty were, not to be dramatic here, jaw dropping. I had never seen such an instantaneous revealing like this! I was rushing home all the while mesmerized by the scene unfolding before me, hoping to get there and tell Melissa before it disappeared. As I pulled in the driveway almost rolling out of the car before it stopped, I was yelling for her to come out and see. It was as if I had found a buried treasure and wanted to share it with her! She came out of the house and was wondering what the heck was wrong with me. I pulled her around the driveway so we could see the skyline from the west to the east. We stood there silent for a minute. Both of us taking in the sheer awesomeness of this rarity. In the same sky was the fierceness of the storm all dark and sinister with it's violent intention and the tranquility of the sun setting with it's final light and warmth of the day. It was a clear picture of God and a sovereign God in control.
Not a physical manifestation of course, but one of countless examples of His supreme authority over this world of ours that can have us shaking in fear at the approaching storms of life one moment then inspiring our life's revelations at the dawn of our new beginnings in the next. So complex in it's physical nature but so simple in it's etching upon our hearts. You see when you walk closely with your Lord, not only do you enjoy the one on one communication of an intimate Father child relationship, but you receive gifts, revelations and affirmations that enrich and uplift you each day. God paints the sky just for you. It's up to you to stop, look, take in and revel at these gifts! In it He reveals Himself to you. We live on an incredibly beautiful and diverse world. A life sustaining divinely created blue orb standing alone in a vast universe. On it are all of God's children, equally beautiful and diverse. But fallen and flawed are we. We have all at once the majesty of God's great provision and mercy in our tenuous existence on this small planet and the curse of our own depravity as we reject His will for us. That's why the storms come. When we exercise our will to walk away from God's guidance we are subject to the consequences of our mortal flesh. The sky darkens, the storms approach and the fear grips us with the uncertainty of the outcome. But when we cling to the truth of Christ, He rebukes the storms and calms the sea. The sun comes out and warms us with His reassurance that He and He alone brings you through the storms. He will not abandon you. He will bring you to a safe harbor. You can be certain that if you give your heart to Jesus Christ then He will give His all to you. The storm clouds can roll in and all you'll see is the sun behind them!
Luke 8:24
The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.
No comments:
Post a Comment