“Be still, be calm, see, and understand I am the True God. I am
honored among the nations. I am honored over all the earth.” You know the
Eternal, the Commander of heavenly armies,
surrounds us and protects us; the True God of Jacob is our shelter, close
to His heart. (Psalm 46: 10-11 The Voice)
As I looked out into the darkness,
my patio light allowed me to read my Bible and devotionals. For over two years,
I have welcomed dawn from my lakeside patio and experienced numerous changes in
my life along the way.
Gradually, trees and bushes emerged
along the shoreline. Squawking, but unseen, birds disturbed my quiet. I waited
for the morning show.
Anticipation of another breathtaking
sunrise grew as the sky lightened. But blue-gray clouds obscured the colorful
beauty. Only faint swatches of pink touched the eastern sky, which like
invisible ink, quickly faded.
Though disappointed, I continued to
scan the expansive sky. Treasures appeared. Like foam from an ocean wave, a frothy,
white cloud traveled over the heavens. Additional crisscrossing lines of white
divided sections of transforming hues of gray, blue and white.
Each time I gazed at a different
area, a new complex picture surfaced to replace the previous one. My eyes went
back and forth as I tried to keep up with every new design of the Artist’s
masterpieces.
My hoped for sunrise never
materialized. However, God provided an unanticipated beauty I never imagined.
Over the years, my life had not
given me many of my hoped for dreams. Pain, death, and grief replaced the happy
life I planned. Just as my morning display didn’t turn out the way I hoped it
would, God has filled my life with unending blessings I never envisioned.
I could have stomped indignantly
into the house when gray clouds shielded the sun. But I would have missed the
alternate beauty and an important lesson. Likewise, during my long journey of
loss and grief, I have learned to slow down, be with God and see what surprises
He provides.
I look for Him in the midst of my
despair, rejoice in the surprise blessings and share what He has done.
Loving Father,
help me to see you and embrace the changes in my life even when I hoped for
something else. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment