Light Through The Clouds

Sitting at my desk this morning the first thing I noticed was a little swath of gray light piercing the heavy clouds. Now, ten minutes later, the pinks, blues and lavenders wash over the Eastern sky, floating on top of the oaks and pines on my right.

The first verses I read this morning are these: (from a hymn and Isaiah 45) "I am the Lord bringing light through the cloud. Let the heavens rain down righteousness. Let the earth open up, and salvation bear fruit; let the heavens rain down righteousness... I the Lord have created it".

Psalm 44 speaks of the Lord and Israel: "To plant them you uprooted nations, to let them spread you lay nations low; no sword of their own won the land; no arm of their own brought them victory. It was your right hand, your arm and the light of your face; for you loved them."

And now, a word for Israel today from Joshua: While Joshua was near Jericho, he raised his eyes and saw one who stood facing him, drawn sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you one of us or of our enemies?" He replied, "Neither, I am the captain of the host of the Lord and I have just arrived"(Joshua 5:13-14). Wow. That is powerful. It's not about us really, and yet it is. The Lord is so much bigger than we understand. His purposes, His ways are so much bigger and yet He uses such little, paltry, insignificant things to display His might power that He may ultimately get all the glory. 

Come Lord Jesus, come.

Reading farther on there is a reading and notes from a priest Origen who makes the exact same reference to Rahab and the scarlet cord being the blood of Christ that you revealed to me yesterday. That only she and her household was spared because she believed in Him who was sent. The blood covered her and her family (symbolism of Jesus' blood, the scarlet cord). When Christ comes back (first time as sacrifice and savior, second time as judge, destroyer then ruler), will he find faith on earth? (Luke 18:8)

Amen