Clouds have been on my mind a lot lately. They’ve been so beautiful, when normally I take them for granted. We prayed and prayed for rain and then God said yes. We’ve had wonderful rain here in Kansas, downpours, gentle showers, and always just the right amount for the yard and gardens. During the drought we continued to see multiple clear skies with no hope for moisture in sight. Now and then a few clouds would appear, but float on by without a drop. So when I see these bright blue skies with fluffy white clouds, I see them in awe. Sometimes now, the sky looks like a “Toy Story” wallpaper, as my daughter calls it. If you watch the movie, Andy’s room has wallpaper with happy fluffy clouds.
Last night we had a harrowing thunderstorm. We happened to be out of town for the day and were heading back. The clouds were fascinating at first, yet a bit strange looking. They looked dangerous on one hand; but, I was drawn in wanting a closer look, wanting to take more photos. The further we drove forward, I began to get a bit anxious. The clouds were circling, and I almost expected to see tornadoes form. By the time we were about 30 min from home, the rain began. And then it poured and quickly gushed! The wind was beating against the truck as buckets of water flowed. Semis were pulling over as we pressed on to our goal of home.
I’m super thankful for Greg’s driving skills. He was stone serious, and set on getting us home safely. I was praying, sometimes silently, sometimes out loud. I remembered how Jesus was asleep during the storm on the Sea of Galilee with his disciples. They were terrified and he told them to have faith. So, I attempted to relax and trust. I’m glad I wasn’t on a boat in the middle of a lake, but I sure wished I could sleep! I was trying to sing to try to calm my nerves, and set my mind on what is good and true… our Noble Lord himself!
I’m stating the obvious here for anyone aware: We are all on a spiritual journey that takes us in odd places, and dark spaces. We have those days of cheer when all appears right with the world. Then there are those places of fear, of uncertainty. Maybe not so obvious, sometimes there is danger ahead and we are fascinated and drawn into the danger. I’m referring to temptation. We know instinctively something is not quite right, and if we are believers, we have the Holy Spirit who will remind us to stay clear of situations that will harm our souls. Alertness is helpful; we must be careful not to fall into the fascination of certain practices that go against instructions given us. We have a spiritual safety manual in scriptures, but are our hearts sometimes not curious about the other side? Falling into temptation is a bit like that. We get drawn in, curious, knowing it’s dangerous but wanting a taste of it. Like the first Eve, we taste it, are drawn in further, and find ourselves discouraged, broken, and wondering how we drifted from the Lord. Eve knew some truth because the Lord gave her safety instruction, but she still fell. She was enticed by what she thought she was missing, listening to “worldly” lies, lies of the evil one.
I believe that if we find ourselves falling into the patterns of the world, it’s because the Holy Spirit is making us aware. He will prod our souls and encourage us to repent, as in change the direction. We must get back on track to what is true as stated in scripture and allow him to draw us back into the safety of his fellowship. To do this, we have to practice learning and knowing his voice. We need to recognize his promptings in our hearts and minds that are light shining in the darkness. If we continue to say no to the promptings, we only harden our hearts and fall into danger. If we fall into sin, we find ourselves in places we could have avoided all together. We destroy relationships that could have thrived and we miss out on the best opportunities.
In some cases, we find ourselves on roads in which danger is closer than we would ever wish for. The Christian doing all he or she can to make changes, will have to pass through “valleys of the shadow of death.”
“He guides me in paths of righteousness for his names sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me.“
Psalm 23:3
Temptations will surround us and be closer than we wish. We may hear taunts of the enemy’s voice in our minds or through others who mistreat us. It may seem as though we won’t pass through. It may conjure up all sorts of anxiety. In those moments we have to fight for what we know is true. We must admit we are frightened and tempted, especially to the Lord himself. We have to be willing to reach out for support, ask for others to pray and then simply say no to the lies and desires in our flesh that press on us. We can trust in God’s rod and staff, his leading through the power of his Spirit and comfort as he speaks to us through his scriptures.
Thankfully, Greg and I arrived safely home. The road we traveled was unavoidable. If we would have veered to the right or the left, we could have caused more trouble, taking longer to get home and possibly slipped into muddy side roads and even getting stuck. We should never think we know a better way in an attempt to escape. There is no better way than Jesus. We can trust he is “driving,” our lives carefully to our heavenly home. Be stone serious, setting your mind on the destination, just as Greg did driving. Keep relying, keep trusting, keep praying, keep knowing he is GOD, the King of all Kings, and Lord of all Lords. Your real safety is not in the ways of the world, but in his ways. Your real joy and peace is in him. Always.
NOTES:
*My photos of the storm clouds aren’t clear; I use an old iPhone and was looking through the vehicle windows.
*See Matthew 8:23-27 for the story about Jesus and the Disciples on the Sea of Galilee.
*For an interesting video about the Sea of Galilee, check this out! Monster Storm at the Sea of Galilee Where Jesus Walked from Sergio and Rhoda in Israel. I’ve enjoyed several of their videos. Click here to see their YouTube Home page https://www.youtube.com/@SnR.