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| Photo by Alvesgaspar2009 |
As my husband and I sat overlooking the beach while reading
our morning devotionals, we could sense the storm brewing. The breeze was
strengthening, allowing a pair of ospreys to soar effortlessly through the
darkening sky. Waves lapping the shore began to chop and churn, and the usually
pale blue, glassy sea became rough and darkened with deep purple blots like ink
stains under the gathering clouds.
I spotted an unusual cloud formation that resembled a rocky
cliff with a sharp drop-off, abutting what looked like an immense boulder. In
the cleft between the
boulder and the cliff was a human figure, huddled in a fetal position. Standing
on the cliff was an angel with outstretched arms, as if protecting the person
below.
As we watched the clouds change shape in the shifting winds,
we witnessed an amazing transformation. The human figure looked up at the angel
and straightened up, while still trapped between the
cliff and the boulder. Although the angel began to recede into the distance,
the sun’s rays, previously hidden, began to
illuminate the human figure so that it shone brightly in the otherwise
dark sky.
How often do we feel as if we’re trapped between a rock and a hard place? Like the
psalmist David, who hid in caves as he fled for his life, we may feel like we’ve
fallen into a pit (Psalm 40:2),
a deep crevice flanked by impenetrable rock, and an impossibly long way up to
safety. We can’t pull ourselves from it or climb out in our own strength, and
we are reminded that God is our only hope (Psalm
38:15; 42:5,11; 71:5).
David wrote that the evils surrounding him and the consequences
of his own sins were so great that he could not even look up, and his heart
failed him. But God alone could save him through His tender mercies,
loving kindness and truth, which continually preserved and delivered him (Psalm 40:11-17).
Praise God that He is our refuge in the storm, and that in
our moments of deepest despair, He is with us, for He will never leave us nor
forsake us! (Hebrews 13:5). He
has not promised to remove us from our trials, for they accomplish His purpose
for us in ways we cannot begin to understand, as they did with Job (Job 1:21).
God did not answer the apostle Paul’s repeated prayers to
remove his thorn in the flesh, for His grace is sufficient in our trials and
His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). His ways and thoughts are higher
than ours (Isaiah 55:9), and
we can have faith in His infinite love, power and wisdom to always work all
things together for our good and His glory (Romans
8:28).
While still trapped in the rocks, the human figure in the
clouds looked up, straightened up, and shone brightly. When in trouble, we
should look up to the heavens, for God is the source of our help (Psalm 121:1). We must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus! He alone enables us
to stand fast (1 Corinthians 16:13;
Galatians 5:1; Philippians 1:27) and straight in the storm, and
to shine brightly with His reflected light to be a beacon and encouragement to others
(John 1:9; 8:12; Philippians
2:15).
Recently our Pastor has been preaching from Scripture verses
that comfort us in times of trouble. There are no coincidences or accidents
with God.
At the very time we were at the beach watching this
majestic demonstration of His handiwork (Psalm
19:1-6; Romans 1:20), His Word spoke to us through the
devotionals we were reading. One of these referenced Iguazu Falls, a stunning chain
of 275 waterfalls in South America, bordered by a wall on which is inscribed
the words “God is always greater than all our troubles,” under Psalm 93:4: The Lord on high is
mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.
The brightness of the human figure enfolded in the rocks also
reminded me that in times of trouble, God hides (Psalm 32:7) and protects us within Himself, in His pavilion
and in the secret of His tabernacle, and that He will set us upon a rock (Psalm 27:5). That Rock is the
sure foundation (Luke 6:48; Matthew
16:18) of His Son Jesus Christ, Who saves and gives eternal life (John 3:16) to all who trust in
His death, burial and resurrection (1
Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6).
May we trust in Christ alone, and in His mercy, for He is
our Rock, salvation, defense, glory, strength and refuge! (Psalm 62:5-8; 59:16-17; 94:22)
His protection and guidance from our enemies, threats and dangers
(Psalm 32:8) enables us through
faith to lift our head above these trials, to seek His face, offer sacrifices
of joy and sing praises to Him (Psalm
27:6-8). Praise God that He is our refuge, strength, and very present
help in trouble, so that we have no reason to fear even if the earth crumbles,
the mountains explode and are carried into the roaring sea (Psalm 46:1-3).
Even in our darkest storms, may His light shine through us
so that we can be a beacon of hope to a lost and dying world!
© 2017 Laurie Collett
9 comments:
Thank you Laurie, for your post about God's glory. Yes, even in the darkest storms, can His light shine through us so that we can be a beacon of hope to a lost and dying world! Shine!
You're most welcome, Ariella, and thank you for your lovely comment! May we shine on, through His light and to His glory!
God bless you,
Laurie
There were so many things in your post that I can relate to in my walk with the Lord Laurie - such as when I was going through a trial and the Lord spoke to me through 'my grace is sufficient for you' three times in one week - followed by the pastor in the church gathering I was attending at the time stopping the Sunday sermon that week and saying 'I don't know who this is for but the Lord says that His grace is sufficient for you.'
That written Word is definitely a living Word - the same yesterday, today and tomorrow when we are born again of God's Spirit.
God bless you Laurie for your encouragement.
Dear Brenda,
Thank you for sharing your experience, which truly is a confirmation that God speaks to His children, giving us exactly what we need when we need it. The Bible truly is God's living Word, for despite its unchanging constancy, it can speak to us differently each time we read it, offering us encouragement, comfort, guidance, correction, and/or new depths of understanding.
May God bless you too!
Laurie
Dear Laurie,
While I was still single, there was a day when I felt very agitated and spiritually dry - and there was to be a Bible study group on that same evening.
I looked up into the sky at the broken clouds, and I could not believe what I found myself looking at. There in the sky I am sure that what I saw was a cloud resembling the risen Lord Jesus himself, looking straight down at me. This occurred around 1992 or 1993.
A mere coincidence? Maybe so, maybe not. But you are right by saying that God is in control of everything, especially the weather, as so emphasised in the last two chapters of Job.
Here in Britain, we have a worldwide reputation of moaning about the weather. Maybe we all need to recognise that God sends rain on the just and unjust alike out of his undeserved grace and mercy.
An excellent blog, God bless.
It's too bad so many people are so caught up in daily life they never look around to see what God does to show his love and power.
Dear Frank,
Praise God that He speaks to His children in so many ways, including through nature! Shortly before Richard's mother went home to be with the Lord, we were also going through times that were testing our faith, especially since we were traveling and could not immediately return home. There in the cloudless sky over a Nevada desert a single cloud appeared, in the perfect shape of a cross, as I wrote about previously on this blog.
Praise God that He is merciful and gracious to all, even to those who do not yet know Him.
Thanks as always for your encouragement and for sharing your experience.
God bless,
Laurie
Amen, Donald! Praise God that the heavens declare His handiwork! Thanks for your comment and God bless,
Laurie
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