The Masterpiece of a Storm

Here is a random event that my camera and I have witnessed together.  I was driving into town one afternoon, when this incredible display in the skies unfolded as I drove.  I had one hand on the wheel... and the other holding the camera, and snapping pictures.  The view was so incredible before me, as I drove slowly to try and capture it through the lens of my camera.... and the windshield of the truck!

It seemed as if there was a storm brewing in the atmosphere, and the clouds were creating a masterpiece of emotion across the sky.

The trees were holding their breath in icy stillness as the clouds battled across the horizon...

The clouds were roiling and rumbling across the mountains with great ferocity...

The sun was wrestling with the clouds, and at times, you could see the rays of the sun breaking through with mocking defiance of the cloud cover.

The icy-snow covered roads, and the pine trees with their lacy covering, and the angry blue of the clouds in the distance made for a breathtaking moment as I traveled along.

Can anything be more beautiful than an approaching storm with the world clothed in white, reflecting the brilliance of the approaching storm clouds?  I think not!

Oh, the vehemence of these clouds bespoke of the coming storm...

From this vantage point, it certainly seemed that the storm was imminent on the horizon... and its fury most certainly was about to be felt by me!

But then.... when I turned the corner and began the descent down the hill into town... another picture awaited me...

The sun was winning the battle on the north side of town, and in fact...

... as I descended the hill towards town...

The sun literally wrestled the clouds, and swung them far, far away, until blue sky was dominating the landscape, and the river began to reflect the sky in all its brilliance.

Isn't it amazing how you can just turn a corner, and suddenly the world takes on a whole new perspective!

It was hard to believe that just moments ago, it seemed as if a terrible storm was about to descend upon the world, and now.... the sun had won the battle, and was doing her best to outshine every dark cloud on the horizon.

Isn't that how life is sometimes!  We can see the storm clouds ahead of us, and it seems as if all hell must be about to break loose on our lives, and we see every detail, and just "know" how awful it is going to be.  But miraculously, there is a battle going on behind the scenes, of which we are unaware of... and at any given moment, our lives may take a turn, much as the road did that I was on... and suddenly... the storm clouds had disappeared, and the sun was shining.

There are times in our lives where we anticipate, worry, fret, and stew over the impending storm clouds that we see approaching.  Even while we are wrestling with our fears of the unknown, of the approaching darkness, and danger, we are unaware that the SON is working behind the scenes in our lives, and it could be that we are about to turn a corner that we cannot foresee... and once we turn that corner, unimaginable beauty, and joy await us.

While we stare at the storm clouds, and cower in fear, and despair... we must keep walking, and keeping our eye on the SON... because we just don't know when that corner will be turned... and our fears, terror, and angst, will be turned into joy, gladness, and abounding peace much like the river I crossed above.

I needed to hear those words I wrote above myself, and honestly, the Lord has just spoken to me, even as I wrote this post.  I had originally named this post something totally different, but now, I know that the Lord was teaching me something too... even as I wrote this post, and began to think about the significance of the clouds. and then the turning of the corner into the brilliant sunshine... it calms and soothes my heart to know, that no matter what troubles, difficulties or fears we may encounter on our journey of life... we must never take our eyes off the SON, our dear Lord Jesus, because HE leads us on a pathway that is not always clear to us, but there are corners, hills, and trails that we cannot know.... but as we trust and follow Him... even though there are storms in the distance, or storms surrounding us, or storms upon us... at any given moment, the sunshine of our lives, the Lord Jesus Christ can break through every one of those storm clouds into a brilliant, and beautiful place that we are not expecting... what a wonderful thought, and yes, it is so true!!!

So... I hope this little post has blessed you today, even as it has blessed me just now... as I wrote it! May the SON of God, roll the clouds out of the situation that you may see on the horizon, or may be traveling through.... and that the brilliant sunlight of His love would shine bright and clear into your heart today, so that may you feel the PEACE like a river today in your heart, life, and soul!