Look!

One of the reasons behind this blog, is to remind myself and others that God is active, attentive and visible in our lives.  His Presence is manifest many times at day (I call these God visits), in a myriad of different ways.  Whether it's Scripture, teaching, people, nature, circumstances, small, quiet gestures, or those big, unmissable  "neon signs,"  our Father is right there in the middle of our messes and every days.  

I was recently reading a novel, I can't even remember the name of it now, but probably my usual genre, romantic action, mystery kind of book. In it one of the main characters had a saying that she picked up from her Dad.  She said, her Dad had told her, "every time you smell the rain it means God is near."   Immediately I thought, just like a "God visit!"   So imagine my happiness at finding confirmation and affirmation as I read Psalm 104 only a few days later.  

Let all that I am praise the Lord.  O Lord my God, how great you are!  You are robed with honor and majesty.  You are dressed in a robe of light.  You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens; you lay out the rafters of Your home in the rain clouds.  You make the clouds Your chariot; You ride upon the wings of the wind.  The winds are Your messengers; flames of fire are Your servants.  (verses 1-4)

v2  Dressed in a robe of light.  The sunlight stands as a reminder of God's majesty.  The starry curtain a picture of His creativity, power and His provision of light in the darkness.  Even when all is dark around us, His light, His majesty never ends.  He is still in control and still on the throne!  

v3  Home in the rain clouds.  Smell the rain, His presence.  Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (His home).   The clouds are His chariot.  As the clouds encircle the earth, so our heavenly Father's love and tender mercy encircle us, His care extends to all the earth.  

v4  Winds are Your messengers.  The Bible tells us God's angels are His messengers, sent to minister to His children.  Wind, when we feel it represents His reaching out, communicating, sending His touch and help into our lives.  Flames of fire are Your servants.  Fire brings warmth.  Our Father provides for our needs.  Fire brings cleansing, burning away any unnecessary baggage we carry.  

Hebrews 1:7  Regarding the angels, he says, “He sends his angels like the winds, his servants like flames of fire.”   Hebrews 1:14 Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.

Now, I am in no way teaching this as a doctrine or "so sayeth the Lord' kind of thing.  But just as a way to remind us to open our hearts and eyes to the world around us....Our Lord is everywhere!  Reaching out to us moment by moment in amazing, unending ways!  His touch, His care surrounds us.  Sometimes, when I lay down in bed at night, my covers are snuggled around me, I think about God's love, and at that moment I feel as if I am nestled in it.  My soft, warm blankets remind me of God's love.  It's all these little things that add up to God's presence in our lives.  Sadly, many times though, I go through the day busy and unfocused...I am missing so much!!  

Oh, Lord help us see!  Give us a roving eye to look for Your hand.  The world offers so much distraction but You are here, so very present, so very active.  I am glad, that even when I miss it, You are still caring for me!!  But let each of us see a little more today.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.  

Stop and smell the roses today!!  In other words, take a moment here and there to look around, and live in God's moment.