God Himself is With Us
.
Revelation 21:1-4
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away."
My hair is damp and cool as I return from walking this morning. The meteorologist on my local news station would say it’s because of the dew point – with the temperature and the humidity being so close together. That may be the case, but I had a different take on it! I felt as if the Holy Spirit was coating me, saturating my skin with love and peace as I began my day. That may sound a little corny, but I can’t help it. It was a refreshing change from the oppressive heat we had walked in even at 6:30 or 7 am on the summer mornings of July and August.
And, somehow, I’m not too surprised that such visual, comforting, exciting verses would be waiting in my email in box this morning! My walking buddy and I have both felt very challenged to fit in everything we need to get done in a day. Over the months, we’ve been “sleeping in” and meeting to walk at 6:30 or 7 in the morning. Lately, though, we have found our days so full that we don’t have the quiet, quality time with God that we both relished in months past when we arose and met to walk earlier. I’ve been thinking to myself for the past several weeks, that we needed to move our walking time back again, but didn’t want to voice it, as I was secretly afraid my buddy would agree! I don’t remember who actually said it first, but we agreed immediately that it was a change we needed and wanted. Today was the first day we met at 5:30 am in several months.
I do recall the only conscious thought I had as I pushed the start button on the coffeemaker, is “what were we thinking?” What a rare treat greeted me as I walked out my front door, though! The moon was full and bright orange. The mist that dampedened my hair, veiled the moon, and it had a soft, almost muted appearance, like a water color where just a bit too much water had been added to the brush. That is due to the pollution, I know, but I just marveled at how God could use something so harmful to create such a glorious visual to reward me for my self-discipline this morning! As we made our circuits around the school, we witnessed moonset and anticipated the upcoming Harvest Moon when the moon appears so large and round and bright that it seems as if you could reach up and touch it.
That bright orange moon reminded me of a new heaven and a new earth. It was a beacon, just for me to remind me that God is with me even at 5:30 a.m., before most of my little part of the world is even conscious! I know that, and believe it completely. Sometimes I just need a little extra reminder that the God of the bright orange moon is the same God who created me. He sends the cool morning mist to give me a tangible assurance of His presence in my world. Our conversation this morning was so animated and hope-filled and . . . continual . . . that I didn’t even notice the day breaking. I don’t know at what point it actually became light and we cut off the flashlight. And daylight happened without my orchestrating, planning or being in charge of it! God really spoke to me this morning!
My prayer today is that you take a moment to look around God’s world of nature. And that you realize that the same God who made the wildflowers and the rain without any assistance, also made you.
Mary
