"What's that blinding light?" I asked, pointing up at the sky. A woman leaving the store at the same time smiled at me and said, "I know ... it's about time."
What strange phenomenon captured our attention? The SUN! A rare happening in Upstate New York. Any hint of sunshine and blue sky has been blanketed under a grey-white covering for months.
We understand that the sun is always shining above the clouds, but it's easy to forget it's there when day after day it remains hidden. The most pessimistic observers believe that what they see is all there is. The Christian knows that no matter how dark the days, God is in charge and His light cannot be extinguished.
The political and cultural climate in our nation can easily blanket our hearts and minds with worry. Disconcerting news is being reported in almost every arena of life on a daily basis. It's important to stay informed to a degree, but we must always use the peace barometer God has given us. If we don't guard our hearts we can slide into a mire of hopelessness. Is this perhaps the plan ... to keep us under a blanket of fear so we lose our perspective ... and forget our faith?
I stepped outside in the chilly, morning air. The sky was blank. My heart felt heavy. I closed my eyes and listened for His voice. That's when I heard the heartwarming sounds of a new season. Birds were singing in the bare branches of the trees. A flock of geese announced their homecoming as they flew in their V-shaped pattern over the fields. A gust of wind blew a powdery film of snow off the roof of my house. I drew my collar up around my cheeks and continued listening to the sounds of new life all around me. As I turned to go back inside, I caught a glimpse of God's unending faithfulness: lime-green shoots of daffodil, hyacinth, and crocus poking through the remains of a late winter snow. Thank you for the reminder, Lord. You're never late ... and nothing can hinder Your plan.