Friday, March 22, 2013

When I See these Clouds



We had such beautiful clouds today.  So many shapes and sizes.  Some looked as if they were stacked so tall and beautiful with rays of the sun pouring thru them.  Such beauty.  Just stunning.

Every time I see clouds like these it always reminds me of......Luke 21:27-28 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the cloud with power and great glory.  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Sometimes the clouds are so beautiful and solid looking and the sun shining thru them so gloriously it looks to me, like I think it would look when Christ returns. 

The world can be a wonderful place full of beauty and times of great peace in our lives but is also a sinful, hard, fallen, place as well. 

Tim and I have been abundantly blessed.  We have had times of plenty and times that were horribly lean.  We have rejoiced in the addition of each child and have suffered great sorrow in the loss of a much loved daughter.  We have had seasons in our lives of peace and contentment and prolonged seasons full of difficult situations that felt as if they would never cease.  We have had times when fellowship was all around us and times we were ridiculed and shunned by the ones we loved and thought loved us. 

What a different world this is, than what God had intended for us, his children.  We were to always have health.   Always have good food without working hard for it.  To have child birth be a wonderful experience?  And to never cry, mourn, be sorrowful or be depressed.  These things all came about thru sin.  How sad and hard.

I am so grateful that God sent His son Jesus to redeem us.  I am so grateful that thru His sacrifice I can have that same relationship with God that Adam and Eve had.  Fellowship with God.  Wow!  The one who made it all, us all.  To boldly go into the throne room and speak with God about all that is on my heart and have him listen and help me.  How on earth do people make it without the Lord? 

In the bible there is a time in Jesus ministry in Luke chapter 8, when he did many miracles in a town and the people loved him and ministered to his needs.  He decided to go across to the town on the other side of the lake (Gadarenes) and there he cast the Legion out of the demon possessed man that lived in the tombs.  He cast the Legion into the swine and they all ran down a steep hill and drown into the sea.  The people were so afraid or upset about him doing this they asked him to depart from their coasts.  So Jesus got back in a ship and went back over to the town on the other side he had just come from.  And there, in the very next verse, is a verse so beautiful to me.  It is Luke 8:40 and it says… And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.

He had done great things, Miracles! In their town and lives.  He left, they missed him so much and were eagerly awaiting his return.  But they didn’t know when that would be.  So they just waited.  They were so happy when they saw him coming back that they gladly received him.

Are we ever like those people in the second town across the lake?  They were in awe of the miracle.  But really didn’t want Jesus around because they didn’t know what he was going to do next.  They were afraid and unsure.   If they followed this Jesus and listened to him, what would he ask of them?  What else would he do? Often times people don’t give God their whole life because they are afraid of what God might ask them to do or give up.  Not realizing that to die to this world and live for the Lord is gain and the blessings over flow.  But…..The man who had Legion cast out of him was so grateful he wanted to follow Jesus.  But Jesus told him…..(Luke 8:39) Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.          Jesus  left that man to be a missionary and as a reminder to the town that sent him away!  Isn’t Jesus so loving that even when the town wished him gone, he left a remnant.  A seed sower, a person on fire for the Lord to proclaim his gospel thru out the whole town, preaching to anyone that would hear and believe!  Just in case, someone might be saved.

Are we like the people in the first town?  I sure am now.  After years of learning and growing, living and getting to know God, the things of this world mean nothing to Tim and I.  We have had so much in life, lost it and now have some possessions again.  But thru losing everything in the past, we learned it all means nothing.  It is people, salvation, witnessing, giving of our time to others, helping the widow and orphans of this world in any way God shows you to.  Those are the things that matter.  Those are the…..laying up our treasures in heaven where moth and rust wont corrupt them, treasures.  Those are the treasures that make heaven your home.  Because you wish to be with those you witnessed to, shared God with, encouraged, loved and lost here on earth. 

I don’t know about you.  But I know my God.  I know my Jesus and HE has done great things for me and to me in my life.  I didn’t deserve them.  None of us do.  But I am excitedly working for Him….seeking His face......watching….…. to gladly receive him because I have been waiting for him.  Coming in the clouds. 

susan

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