By: Carole L. Haines
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
(Psalm 19:1-4 NIV)
Just sat here watching the sun slowly rise over the horizon. And yet, does the sun actually rise?
“The Sun appears to rise above the horizon and circle the Earth, but it is actually the Earth that is rotating, with the Sun remaining fixed.” (Wikipedia)
Nature is simply amazing. The seasons come and go on cue, entering and exiting the stage with a curtsy and a bow. Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall follow each other in perfect harmony. As we move through the seasons of our lives, God too, remains fixed. He is the stability in our times of change. He is our guide down roads never traveled. He is our trust.
The ocean tides keep rhythm with the phases of the moon. How is the moon affecting something it seemingly never touches but with the glimmer of its reflected light?
“The moon’s gravity causes the ocean to bulge out on both the side of the Earth closest to the moon and the side farthest from the moon. These bulges create high and low tides.
(Wikipedia)
I believe the Holy Spirit is like the gravity of the moon. It causes us to bulge and grow, reaching further onto the shores of God’s calling for our lives.
Yet there are always exceptions, glitches in the rhythm. A beautiful White stag leaps across the field in a ghostly, autumn dance, different from all the others. A rogue wave appears far on the horizon, as we yield to the warnings and take cover on land. A wild wind rises sweeping down the mountainside, awakening all those living in the valley.
Are these occurrences all by chance, or design? Jesus speaks of the mystery of creation when He says:
8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8 NIV)
We cannot ponder the wonders of nature for long without the question of its origin rising up within us. Nature calls to us, beckons us to come and see, to explore and discover its glory, vastness, and joys. But nature is also speaking to us of the One who has made her, the One who sustains her, guides her in her seasons. This same God who created nature, created us. He is the One who will lead us as we yield to His call each and every day. Some calls will be rogue, edgy, different. While others will seem calm and easy. We can trust the Hand of God in all He leads us to. Rest in Him each day.
hisshadowings.com 