Revealed.

Shrouded in mist. Veiled in gray. Heavy with moisture, the air drips. Not even enough light for a shadow. And yet, I know the sun is coming. I can see it - through the clouds. I have talked before about dark and light, how He brings the sun up in His own measure of time. Today was no different, but it was. Again the same, and again so spectacular. With a crack in the cloud cover, a hint of His Glory shines through. Enough for a budding hope.

Paul again...2 Cor. 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God....

What kind of god (small 'g') has blinded me? I believe the god of comfort. I would like to be comfortable. I tend to shirk away from things that are not comfortable. I don't enjoy confrontation and shy from conflict. I exercise, but don't like to do so to the point of pain or discomfort. I'd love to have more security in where we are as a family, but am reluctant to chase the stability of employment somewhere else. So I retreat into my safe little corner, and long for the glory of perfect harmony to be revealed!

It. will. never. happen.

Not just waiting for it. I have to suffer a little. Paul goes on....2 Cor. 4: 10-12...We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

When I am in pain, do I recognize that this is the death of Christ in me? Do I thank Him for sharing His pain?????

I heard a friend say recently regarding the death of their spouse of 38+ years..."I have to embrace the pain, for greater then will be the joy when it comes."

And yet I long for the Experience of Christ. I recently heard a sermon that said "If Christ were to appear RIGHT NOW and ask you to do something you didn't want to do, would you do it?" You know it would be for His glory, and for His goodness, but it is something you don't want to do. It would be hard. It would most certainly be uncomfortable.

My stomach turns, grinds, aches, while my legs keep moving on the bike. I ask for Him to reveal Himself and break through the clouds. Like a child on a car ride, "are You out yet?" "have You broken through the clouds yet?" "Have You set the day on fire and chased away the gloom?"

no. So I put my head down, and retreat into my pain. My discomfort. But I know, from past experience, and from hearing His message, that if I ask, and if I wait....

Then it happens. I come around the corner, and peering down over the valley, He has lifted the veil. He has drawn back the curtain. He has painted the day with Light! Streaming in from the heavens, every drop a prism, all the colors awash in ethereal luminescence. He shows Himself from the heights. Glorious. Joy. Awe. Astounding. Spellbound. humbling.

The life of Christ is alive in this day! The Glory of the Lord is on fire! He does reign! From on high, He is revealed! In His good time, in His measure, and by His Grace.