There have been times in my life when I have needed signs from God and in a couple of these cases he has obliged. I only share these incidents on rare occasions when I am around those who will not consider me some sort of mountaintop mystic or delusional pastor in need of help. I say this with quite a bit of caution but I am in a time of personal faith where signs are not necessary. But I am sure a future crisis will come when I need God to show me a little attention and an affirmation that He’s still in control of this universe He created. But for now I’m okay.
Recently I have encouraged two friends who received mystical affirmations in the clouds and in the sunrise over the past few months. Paul the apostle confirms in his letter to the Romans that God reveals himself in the wonders of nature and in these particular cases I believe he not only affirmed, but with his mighty hand he drew a picture of his presence and his knowledge of the conditions of those He was speaking to.
The first situation involves a photograph my friend Mark sent me from Utah. He likes to get out in the wilderness around his home there… who wouldn’t! Utah is a beautiful state. He takes pictures on his phone and sends them to friends so we vicariously hike the trails with him. Mark sent me an awe inspiring photograph a couple weeks ago of the clouds amongst the western landscape and he pointed out something that one of his other photo recipients noticed. He asked me to take note of the perfectly shaped cross in the corner of the image. I didn’t have to stand on my head, look over my shoulder and squint me eyes to see it. The light and clouds of God’s creation had formed a little cross. I have seen the air brushed Jesus walking on the clouds in doctored works on social media and in National Enquirer. This was not one of the sensationalized images with the caption… “Jesus appears and says he will be returning next week”. This was a subtle, small image that spoke volumes and affirmed some conversations about God we had engaged in during the prior weeks. I simply responded… “God has spoken… write in down”.
The second instance involves my niece and her husband and a walk on the beach near Jacksonville where they live. Her brother, my nephew passed away suddenly this past weekend and needless to say we were all blind-sided and bewildered by the tragedy that struck our family. Like the recent hurricanes, this tragic storm has had some far reaching, challenging and disturbing implications. There were questions all related to the fact that he was only thirty-six. He was a beloved brother, a devoted son, a delightful nephew, and a vocal and passionate follower of Christ. My niece, her husband and new baby were on the shoreline this morning as the sun appeared above the Atlantic. She texted me a photograph of a spectacular sunrise and contained in the light streams emanating from that bright yellow orb was a cross. You couldn’t miss it. Her word to Kim and I was this… “Look what God did!”.
God spoke this morning and there was peace.
We don’t always ask for signs and God does not always knock our socks off with some glorious manifestations. Sometimes we need only to look up and around. He is speaking everyday. Are we hearing him!
Andy O.