It's not just pretty, it's Jesus

I have always loved clouds, never really known why before my Christian life and even then, not fully. Once I encountered Jesus I assumed I was simply intrigued by the beauty and majesty of God’s creation. The fact that He put so much detail and intricacy to the creation, formation, process and appearance of them, such simple aspects of our daily life, they have become good reminders that because God focuses so intently on such a simple thing and that we/ I am so much more special to him, so much more intricate, detailed and beloved.

Recently though, I came across a verse, Acts 1:9 that revealed another, bigger reason of intrigue. “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” It’s not just God’s majesty in creation that amazed me in the clouds, but God himself.

This summer at Frontier Ranch, a young life camp in Colorado, my boss challenged me to find something in my daily life, that I notice a lot, that typically stands out to me, that will remind me that God is with me to aid in keeping my relationship with Jesus zealous. I spent a long time praying about it, trying to figure out what my “thing” would be and couldn’t do it until I was brought back to the Arizona skies that I was once calloused to. I was brought back to them after two years of growth, hand in hand with Jesus, and boy oh boy was I taken aback!!! The skies are just so dang beautiful I couldn’t help but be reminded of my beautiful creator and His love. THEN He decided to rock my world just a little bit harder by showing me that verse, by confirming those indescribable feelings, the comfort and peace, it’s because He is there, just beyond my sight. Wow. The God and creator of the universe, the living sacrifice, He stands just beyond the clouds, watching over me and shining His light on me.

I find this all so exceptionally beautiful because clouds can often be correlated with sadness, with dreariness and hard times, but “there’s always a silver lining.” I believe that although the clouds hide Jesus’ majesty from our mere humanness He is the silver lining, the radiant beams, the warmth, comfort and coziness. So, although He may not be immediately apparent, blatantly obvious, He is there, bringing light and beauty to even the dimmest skies and lives. Proving that even in the worst storms in my life, He is there, ensuring my safety, protecting me and loving me more than I ever could; and once that storm passes He is the indescribably perfect rainbow shooting across the sky.

What's even better is that yes, His physical being is up there, but the Holy Spirit is not just up there, but living through me. God is so good, so big and wow three in one really makes this relationship so satisfactory, sustaining and steadfast.

Look up, God is looking down.