The gathering clouds.overtaking this lone barn are reminders that we are vulnerable to unexpected physical, emotional, and spiritual storms which sweep through our lives overwhelming bright moments, tearing at our spirits, and darkening our souls. However, God has given us Jesus as an example to show the way through these troubles and to redeem them. “The Message, ” a Bible paraphrase, encourages us to
“Keep (our) eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it.”
The rest of that paraphrase explains how he did it. Jesus never lost sight of his Father’s purposes in spite of great opposition and hostility towards him; he moved beyond temptations and rejections and past the shameful humiliation and suffering of the cross to a glorious resurrection and exhilarating finish with God. He was able to tolerate everything along this journey because he trusted his Father. (Hebrews 12:2)
We experience many blessings but also significant, unwanted afflictions. Severe challenges may be brought to us through no fault of our own, but they are frequently caused by our indiscretions, weaknesses, imprudence, miscalculations, or lack of insight and foresight. Even so, believers in God are confident that He has a hand in all of life, that He can and will bring good from devastation, that He will provide peace and comfort and hope in moments of difficulties, that He has promised not to forsake His own and will not allow the fires and deep waters of life to consume or to drown them, that adversity will mature minds and spirits where there is willingness to learn, and that He gives purpose to life’s experiences
Jesus showed us the truth of that reality. He prayerfully sought His Father’s will and walked purposefully with determination and unwavering trust through exhausting emotional, physical, and spiritual trials. Since believers share similar life experiences as Jesus did, they are reminded that they are “God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for (them) to do ( Ephesians 2:10). Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection give the confidences of faith: that God unquestionably loves all peoples, that life is more about God’s purposes for us than about ours, that Jesus’ sacrifice on humanity’s behalf paid our sin debt, that he is present, and that trusting in his redemptive power and provision restores us to God and eternal life with Him (John 3:16).
The following poem/ prayer expresses the need to keep Jesus at the center of our thinking and of doing life with God.
“When distant clouds threaten the lingering sun, what will the day have been when done? Bright with gladness? Or sad with brokenness and madness? If the storm descends, I will profess what You have deemed is best. Though my path be difficult and steep with unexpected waters dark and deep, Your hand reaches beyond what I can see while in loving goodness You teach what I should be. When rains and winds block the sun and Your sovereign brush paints colors from which I want to run, my hope is always Jesus, who brings your mercy, grace and love, Almighty, all- knowing God above.” (Anonymous)
Whether we are living beneath sunshine or clouds, God providentially works to redeem, heal, comfort, guide, transform, and draw us to Himself if we trust Him to do so.
Sweet Words from Maine 