I often sit at my office window looking out at the mountains. This morning I cannot see them because they are shrouded in cloud. It does not take much faith to believe that they are still there however. Beyond the clouds the majesty of the mountains still rises in all its glory.
The clouds of our lives – the fears, the worries, the distractions – cloud our view of the glory that is God too. We need to trust that if we wait long enough it will one day be revealed again.
What is your response?
Sit quietly for a few moments with your eyes closed. Visualize your favourite mountain scene in all its glory. Now imagine clouds drifting in to obscure the view. How does it make you feel to lose sight of the beauty you love?
Now think about your own life. What blocks your view of God’s glory? What are the clouds that are getting in the way? Is there something you could do to disperse those clouds? Or is there a response that would make you more accepting of the clouds and more trusting of the glory they obscure?
Often when the mountains reappear they have changed from my last view of them. They change with the seasons and with the light. Sometimes there is a new layer of snow. Or the snow might be melting. Sometimes, at the height of summer there is no snow at all. At sunrise and sunset they are set off against amazing red or yellow skies. They are always spectacular, but I wait expectantly for their reappearing and look intently for the changes.
Telling our stories of love and of grief are often what dispels the clouds in our lives. But with the telling of those stories God’s glory, or at least our perception of it, changes too, especially with the seasons of our lives and with the Godly light we are aware of.
Expect the unexpected – Snow covered Olympic mountains
What is your response?
Sit with your eyes closed again. This time imagine God and your impressions of God’s glory. Relive your story – think of its griefs and its joys. How has you story changed your perception of who God is over the years? Write down your reflections on God’s glory. Thank God for your changing perceptions.
Looking at the mountains reminds me of Psalm 121:
I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
Read through this psalm and listen to this song based on Psalm 121
Sit in silence and allow the peace of God to wash over you. Is there any further response God would ask of you?