Beyond the Clouds

John 8:12 - Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (NKJV)

Matthew 28:20 - Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (KJV)

It was late afternoon as I gazed out the car window and watched the changing scenery. An enormous, thick, grey cloud deck loomed over the countryside. My eyes travelled across its bleak underbelly, searching for its end, but found none. Its grey hue loomed over everything in sight, leaving behind a dull and lifeless landscape. Defeated, I settled back into my seat, giving up any hope of seeing a sunset on this ride home.

Suddenly, off in the distance, several beams of light began piercing through the dense cloud. I love to see these pillars of light descend from above. My heart beat faster as I looked on in anticipation. Another cluster of sunbeams pierced the cloud, connecting heaven with earth. Before long, a tiny hole developed in the cloud, revealing the blue sky and brilliant sunlight hidden on the other side. Joy flooded my heart, and my spirit soared. The sun's brief breakthrough lasted only long enough for God to speak to my heart, before its presence was concealed beyond the cloud layer once again. God reminded me that the sun is always shining beyond the clouds. That brief encounter with the sun/Son refreshed my sagging spirit and carried me home.

All too often, we see with only our earthly eyes, forgetting that the Son goes with us and is always shining His light of love from beyond the clouds. The clouds of life are as varied as we are, and can take many forms: lack, depression, fear, sickness, boredom, challenging relationships, a dead-end job, unemployment, incarceration, etc. These clouds can oppress our spirit and steal our hope. When we let the mundane routines or circumstances of our lives get us down, they drain away our joy and energy, resulting in a bland and dismal existence. Just as the clouds in the sky can be dispersed by a breeze or penetrated by the powerful rays of the sun, the clouds of life can also be altered by the power of the Son. When the wind of the Spirit blows or the light of God's love shines on us, we receive our breakthrough, and our dark clouds seem to dissolve, bathing us in the light of His love. When the Son's light penetrates our dark cloud, we see things with new eyes and clarity. Even if our circumstances aren't changed, we are. In His light, our hope is restored, our spirits are lifted, and our strength is renewed, giving us the courage to carry on. Praise God!

Romans 15:13 - May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope. (AMP)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son as a light into this dark and fallen world. May the light of His love shine brightly in our lives today, providing us with new hope and renewed strength to face this day. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Marci Maxwell

London, Ontario, Canada