Cloudy Days

Ten years ago today my husband, surrounded by family and friends singing hymns and praising God, went Home to glory after a three year battle with lung cancer. Five years ago this month I was going through chemotherapy for the first occurrence of my cancer.  More recently I have  had good friends in the church body and family members with various afflictions and needs, some very overwhelming. One day recently these thoughts were weighing on my heart and mind and I thought how appropriate it was that the skies were gloomy and the clouds dark and ominous!  A few hours later, however, there were rays of the sun shining from behind the dark clouds.   By the afternoon the clouds were a wondrous sight to behold with some settling in a misty haze close to the earth while others were high in the sky. The colors in the clouds were indescribable with a multitude of different colors (some of which I wouldn't even know what to name) and varying shades of each!  It gave me pause to contemplate in wonder the Creator of those clouds.  Searching Scripture I realized that these clouds, and what God has to say about them, speak a great deal of theology.

Truly the heavens do indeed "declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork" (Psalm 19). Nahum 1: 3 says, "His way is in the whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet." The Psalms talk about God speaking to His people, Israel, in the cloudy pillar (99:7), making the clouds His chariot (104:3) and giving the clouds as a covering (105:39).  If the clouds are but the dust of God's feet, what does that say of the magnificence of the God behind them as well as how obscure  His ways are to our vision and understanding.  C. H. Spurgeon said, "Any more than an ant can ask an eagle why it flies in the sky can we look at the clouds and ask why God does what He does." What do we have to fear as we see great clouds when we know how small they are in God's view?  What cloud hanging over our heads is so big that we fear it when God Himself rides in the clouds above?  Those are the same clouds that can't hold back the sun!

Those clouds that seem so gray yet shine forth the rays of  the sun also bring us showers of rain to sustain us.  God places in those same clouds the rainbow which is His eternal reminder of His covenant promise to us (Genesis 9:16).  As William Cowper says in one of my favorite hymns,

             

              Ye fearful saints fresh courage take;

              The clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy,

              And shall break in blessings on your head.

              (God Moves in a Mysterious Way His Wonders to Perform)

That being the case, should we not welcome everything God sends our way; and though we may fear as we enter into the cloud, believe in faith we will find God there where we will hear no voice but that of steadfast love! Whatever the cloud, the voice of the Lord speaks in it--"Fear not! when you pass through the water, I will be with you" (Isaiah 43:2) and "I will never leave you, nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). Our believing souls will be brought into perfect peace as our  faith anchors itself on God--the tempest will subside one day, and there will be a great calm.

To all my dear friends who are presently overwhelmed by the clouds of affliction or trials of whatever sort in your lives, may you remember today, the One who sits on His throne Whose feet stir up the dust of the clouds!  May you remember that He is the one who orders those same clouds and will also make them your sustenance from which come showers of blessing.  May you rest in the "shadow of His wings until these calamities have passed by," crying out to the One who "performs all things" for you (Psalm 57: 1-2).

 

"I Sing the Almighty Power of God" by Isaac Watts

              There's not a plant or flower below but makes your glories known;

              And clouds arise and tempests flow by order from your throne;

              While all that borrows life from you is ever in your care,

              And everywhere that man can be, you, God are present there.

Isaac Watts

              COME, we that love the Lord,

                And let our joys be known;

              Join in a song with sweet accord,

                And thus surround the throne.

             

              The God that rules on high,

                And thunders when He please,

              That rides upon the stormy sky,

               And manages the seas . . .

             

              This awesome God is ours,

                Our Father and our love;

              He shall send down His heavenly powers

                To carry us above.

             

              And here—before we rise

                To that immortal state—

              The thought of such a world of bliss

                Should constant joy create.

             

              God’s saints have ever found

                Glory begun below:

              That heavenly fruits on earthly ground

                From faith and hope may grow!