Rise above It

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I wish I had stopped to take a picture, but I was driving and hesitated to stop. If I had known my thoughts then, I would have made the time. Now, words will just have to do.

Yesterday, while on the way to work I was struck by the beauty of the dark orange sun rising over the small town of Tallassee in the distance. As I live on the western side of town on a small ridge, the time change has made my drive the last few mornings rather beatific. To get to Tallassee from my house, one must go through a small valley between the ridge on which I live and the elevation of the town. The sun sat nestled between thin clouds above the little valley that in comparison seemed smothered by darkness. The radiance of the sun in all its glory juxtaposed against the dark heaviness of the morning clouds below made me think of the spiritual aspects of this life we lead. This short glimpse of beauty I tried to plant firmly in my mind, knowing that very soon the press of another day and all its demands would push the remembrance of the beauty far from my mind. I eagerly looked for the sun to reappear as I topped the hill on the other side of Tallassee, but it took far longer than I had expected. Then suddenly, I saw a brief ray of sun beckoning from farther away, rising above it all.

Similarly, we see the beautiful encouragement of Christ at work in our lives--brief, momentary flickers of hope and joy and love and peace. But then comes the dark clouds that obscure Him from our vision. They are rather subtle--not necessarily raging storms. Our perspective is all that has changed.  He is still there. He still lives to intercede for us daily at the right hand of God the Father. God's plan is still good. We just can't always see it. He is working in us and around us at all times in all events for His glory. On an earthly plane, the sun was still sitting above the dark clouds, above the dim light of the valley floor; it was just obscured. Yet there was peace below the clouds as well, just as there is peace in Christ if we are seeking Him in the midst of dark circumstances. 

The same thing happened again today as I left for work, and I remembered yesterday's lesson. God has so generously supplied us with everything we need for life and godliness through his Word, but we let the stuff of life obscure the beauty of his provison. We forget and need reminding often that He's still there doing as He has always done--being the God of our salvation. I am so thankful for him, and I do so want to rise above it all!

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