I love the sun.
I love the beauty of it when its
light bends around the horizon, painting the sky like an artist’s canvas. I
love the warmth it brings (to clarify, not the 117 degree warmth of Phoenix,
just “normal” warmth).
Uncharacteristically, I found
myself driving east this past week in the early morning (remember I am a
musician…mornings aren’t generally my thing).
As I was driving, I was looking out
at the horizon and the sun was up just far enough that the bottom edge of that
beautiful orb just kissed the horizon. It was glowing bright and beautiful and
yellow, and there were just enough clouds gracing the horizon that it captured
the colors like a beautiful sunset, only it was morning! It was absolutely gorgeous!
And as I looked at it, I noticed
that there was what looked to be a beam of light coming up from the top of the
sun, shooting toward the skies and filling what I imagined to be the throne room
of heaven.
It was awe inspiring. I marveled at
the majesty of God and His creation. It was beautiful. And I was reminded of
how much I like sun (after winter and spring in Oregon, I need to be reminded).
Just as I like the warmth and glow
of the sun shining in the sky, I like the warmth and the glow when my life is
sunny. You know, when there really aren’t any problems more than just a few
wispy clouds on the horizon. When I just get to live life and it goes the way I
want it to.
Later in the morning as I was doing
my quiet time, I was reading in the book of Kings about the dedication of the
Temple that Solomon built.
When construction was finished, he
called Israel together to celebrate and dedicate the Temple. They sacrificed
upwards of 150,000 animals, they worshiped, they honored God.
1 Kings 8:10-11 says, “When the
priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord.
And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the
glory of the Lord filled his temple.”
I got to thinking about the cloud.
In my mind I pictured a nice, pretty, white fluffy cloud. But in the next verse
Solomon says, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud.”
Wait. A dark cloud?
I don’t like dark clouds. I like
sun.
But what Solomon says is true. When
things are dark and rough and hard; when my soul, in desperation, cries out for
the presence of the Living God. That’s when he meets me in a personal,
life-changing way.
Whether sun or clouds, they’re both
the presence of God. They’re both incredible. But they are different. And I
know that I need both of those moments.
The beauty is that God is in both of those moments. And that
leaves us with the ability to sing “Hallelujah” no matter what our circumstance.
