by June Friesen
Have you ever felt as if there are dark clouds that have descended and not only surrounded you but closed you in on all sides? As I was walking one evening about an hour before a storm hit our area, I observed the above cloud formations. I was intrigued by the varying coloring in the clouds themselves but what captured my attention even more was the patch/patches of blue sky that was visible. As I pondered this during my walk I thought to myself – ‘that is just like God to give us a window of hope even in the darkest times in our lives’. Oh, it is not always easy to see those windows of hope and sometimes we need the help of another friend or person we meet along the way to remind us of these precious gifts. It is comforting to me that over the many years of my life, seeing and being in many kinds of various storms, God has brought me through safely. These storms vary from physical, spiritual, emotional as well as mental. They can be storms that are mine to deal with or they at times are storms that I face and help others navigate through. Jesus saw and faced storms in His earthly life as well. There are three in particular that come to my mind: the temptations in the desert, the physical storm on the sea of Galilee and the spiritual battle in the garden of Gethsemane. I believe that these have been recorded for you and I to read to remind us that God really does understand our situation more than we ever realize and/or imagine. I have not included these stories here but you can look them up to refresh your memory. I have instead chosen some verses from Galations where Paul talks about living a life that exhibits godly actions or an ungodly life that is filled with all kinds of problems and issues.
Galations 516-18 My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are contrary to each other, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?
So why would I link these verses to hope – or call this writing ‘Windows of Hope?’ The two photos below show two different kinds of windows that do not give clear vision of the other side. This reminds me of how it is in life many times particularly when one does not recognize God’s presence. The first window I feel shows one’s life when God is not really recognized at all – maybe He was recognized at one time but then life started happening and soon the things of the world/earthly life caused one to completely lose focus of God. That may have started in any number of ways yet as it was not maybe recognized for distraction and distancing from God that is exactly what happened. Soon one seemed in the dark so to speak – abandoned and alone. In the second photo it appears that the window itself is clean however there is a descent of stuff into one’s life – in the photo a deluge of rain. Now the deluge of rain can hold so many lessons for us – the challenge is will you and I be open to the lesson(s)/changes that may be on the way.
A WINDOW OF HOPE
God – ‘how is it that the window through which I looked yesterday
Was so clear?
It seemed as if You were so visible in the world around me
As well as in my life within me.
I felt as if my life was a clear path ahead
But now it seems as if there is a mist
And my sight of You –
My feeling of Your Presence is somewhat clouded.
For sure I do not want my window to become
Full of dust, cobwebs and smudges from tears –
Nor do I want to ignore Your gentle knocking –
No, it is time for me to take those few moments
To clear the cloudiness
And embrace Your presence clearly and fully today.
“Yes my child,
It is indeed very important to keep the window
Into my presence clear –
As it is then that you and I can see each other
And embrace each other every moment of the day.
And my child remember this –
The window is always clear on my side –
And actually I can see through the smudges and the dirt on your side –
It is you that has your vision blocked on your side.
So you may ask Me –
How you can keep a clear vision of me?
How can you keep your side of the window clear?
The Scriptures I have given you –
Give you directions on how to clean your side of the window –
Admit and confess your wrong doing to me
And receive my forgiveness –
Then I will forgive you
And you will see that the window is sparkling and clear
And we can once again be in harmony.
And let me also remind you my child –
Take some time frequently to look upwards to the heavens –
Oh there may be no clouds at all and it is as if you can see into the depths of heaven –
Then there will be times when there are clouds –
Sometimes white and puffy clouds providing some protection from the brilliant light –
That is a reminder that there are times when I am gently protecting you even when you are not aware of it –
Sometimes the clouds have shadows and dark places –
Yes, reminding you that you too will have shadows and dark moments in your life –
But remember to embrace the light that does show through –
And then there are the times when the clouds are dark and heavy
As if they are about to encompass the whole earth with doom –
And even a storm of wind, rain, hail, snow or ice may descend –
Yes, that is what it is like when those trials and struggles come –
And even though it seems there is no end in sight –
I am there – I will bring you through to the light –
Trust me – my child
THE SON – MY SON – WILL SHINE ETERNAL LIFE UPON YOU IN THE END!
Amen and amen.
photos by June Friesen
Join Christine Sine on October 14 or watch the recording later. October and November, the season between Canadian Thanksgiving and American Thanksgiving, is gratitude season on Godspacelight. Christine Sine will encourage you to enter into the practice of gratitude in this interactive retreat that will help us enter this season of gratitude with joy and delight in our hearts.