It is time for me again to just rest in my Abba's comforting arms: I am at a silent retreat in south west Michigan. Unplugged and away from all the distractions to meet with the Lover of my soul for a weekend, I feel both anticipation and peace.
I wake up and wait in expectation for God to show up! What will He show me today? I enjoy my cup of coffee and then pack my breakfast into a picnic basket. I head out the door of my bedroom.
As I exit the building, I look up and see that not all of the sky is gray and dreary. In fact, there are some snippets of blue sky, and the sun is trying its best to peek through from behind the clouds.
I know exactly where I'm heading: to the mini chapel! When I was wandering around yesterday, I discovered this little gem in the rough. It looked so inviting with a sign posted on its door "not completed, but OPEN FOR USE!"
I walk up the hill the chapel sits on, as on a mission: fast and focused. As I get closer. I suddenly wonder if someone else may already be there. I slow my stride and as I get even closer to the door, I am startled by a friend inside getting ready to leave. We smile at each other and give a good morning nod, before she disappears down the trail.
I enter. It is a very plain and unfinished inside. Mud-covered hay bales make up the incomplete walls. A lone chair and a small table sit in the middle of the unfinished floor which is covered with two rugs. The chair stands at an angle facing one window and the door. Behind the chair is another window.
The focal point in the chapel is the large stained window that covers most of the wall across from the door. The stained glass window is made up of various patterns of colored glass. And even though it is a cloudy day, the colors gleam vibrantly.
I sit down on the chair and look out the window in front of me. There is a meadow covered in dew-laden grass. In the background and to the side are a grove of trees. Leaves of yellow, orange, and red are muted as the sun disappears behind the clouds.
I turn around and look through the window behind the chair. It is a completely different picture: dark woods made up of evergreens. They stand as if lifeless, foreboding, and gloomy.
Suddenly, something gets my attention by the window in front of me. I look out and see that the sun has once again appeared from behind the clouds. And all of a sudden the colors on the fall leaves of the trees are ablaze! For a moment, I sit spellbound by this picture.
I turn around to look out of the window behind me, to see if the sun has changed the gloomy scenery too...
Then I feel a nudge in my soul, and it is as if I can hear Jesus say, "Don't look that way, that is behind you. Look ahead, see what I have for you right in front of you. I have my radiance, my beauty, my warmth waiting for you. You are done with your past, you have a bright future in me."
In this holy ground moment, I have difficulty finding my camera between tears of joy. When I finally find it, and run outside to capture the beauty of the scenery, it has already changed because the sun once again has disappeared behind the clouds.
I go back inside and sit down. I am in a mini chapel, surrounded by windows, surrounded by God. I realize, that the moment that the sun's glorious light hit the colors of the fall leaves on the trees was meant just for me! God loves me so much, the He would make the sun appear just for my delight and to show me how much more he has waiting for me.
God has my past, my present and my future is His loving hands. When I enter into the "mini chapel" of His presence through the front door, He surrounds me in my "past window", the present of my "stained glass window", and He is in my "future window" waiting for me there.
You are all around me—in front of me and behind me. I feel your hand on my shoulder.
Psalm 139:5 (ERV)
The Father has loved us so much! This shows how much he loved us: We are called children of God. And we really are his children.
1 John 3:1 (ERV)
Until next time,
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