Short Thought continued.....

The Mist

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Time on my own, a blue sky and a coastal path in Cornwall.

Just the setting I love to see the majesty of God's creation and allow God to speak to me through it.

I had the time on my own and the Cornish coastal path, but there was a thick sea mist

and everything more than two metres away could not be seen.

 

At first I felt disappointment that this was not what I had planned,

I was frustrated with God that this was a lost opportunity.

My first thought was to walk briskly and to complete my journey quickly,

but God challenged me to slow down and to open my eyes and listen to Him

in what was present rather than mourn over what was absent.

 

By slowing down I could enjoy the vibrant colour of the multitude of

wild coastal flowers and grasses along the path, made brighter in contrast to the mist.

I stopped to delight in their variety, in their intricacy and beauty.

In the stillness I could hear the wonderful sounds of a variety of birds,

seemingly louder as they were hidden from sight by the mist.

By slowing down I could delight in what I normally just ignore or not even see

because I'm looking out to the magnificent ocean or the scenery before or behind.

I recognised that God's creation was just as visible and amazing in the small as it is in the big;

God was just as present there in the detail as He is in the greatness and vastness of His creation.

 

There are times and seasons when God challenges us to slow down

and see Him in the intricacies of His creation rather than in the vastness of it;

to look at the detail of the smaller things rather than just the majesty of the big.

There are times, like for Elijah, when we need to listen out for His voice which may at times

be still and small but still is as powerful as when it's louder and more apparent.

 

Far removed from the Cornish coast, the 'majesty of God's creation' 

is not what I see on my walk to and from work, especially in winter!

But now I look out for the detail of His creation in what is present:

little buds, shoots, berries, the odd lingering flower.

I allow God to whisper to me through these.

 

‘The LORD said,

“Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD,

but the LORD was not in the wind.

After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire.

And after the fire came a gentle whisper.’

(1 Kings 19:11-12 NIV)

 

Is God asking you to slow down and see Him in the day-to-day?

 

What is God whispering to you?

 

His gentle whisper will be there. 

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