I was reading My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers the other (July 29) morning. He was asking the question, "What do you see in your clouds?" The scripture was Revelation 1:7 - Behold, He cometh with clouds."
When a friend called and we got into a discussion on testing and trials I rushed into the house to read this to her. It was definitely not a thought that had ever occurred to me, but was so profound I had to share it with her.
Chambers suggests that God comes along with those not so pleasant things in life we endure. "God cannot come near without clouds, He does not come in clear shining." I am reminded of the scripture in Exodus 13:21 - And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way. While they wandered the wilderness, the people of Israel were afraid to be in the presence of God so He hid Himself in a cloud. Exodus 16:10 - ..that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. And Exodus 33:9 tells us, And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses. God is hidden in that cloud. We should be thankful for that.
Chambers says, "through every cloud He brings, He wants us to unlearn something." Our belief in Him needs to become so simplified that it is like that of a child. "Come as little children." I know I've read many different places that we make too much of our relationship with God. It's not a difficult thing but we seem to do nothing but make it difficult. Little children believe what they are told.
He also tells us that everyone in our life should be a shadow. I'm sure this means they should be of much less importance in our lives and that God would clearly stand out in front of them. He tells us that "Until other people become shadows, clouds and darkness will be mine every now and again." Worship God, not others, not the world.
Isn't this what God keeps telling us? Worship Me. I believe there's a song that tells us to praise Him in the morning, at noontime and in the evening. He is the Lord our God, we are to have no other gods before Him. We are to keep our eyes upon the Lord and lift our eyes up to the hills where our help comes from. Our lives should revolve around Him, not anyone else, and when we allow Him in our lives, He will give us the desires of our hearts and all other things will be added to us. What's so hard about understanding that? Why do we need to complicate it?
My friend was telling me how she heard someone say that in school teachers give tests. The tests aren't a time of learning. The teacher doesn't teach at that time. The teacher is silent. When we are being tested by God we sometimes wonder why we are not hearing from Him. He has already taught us and He wants to see what we've learned and whether we will pass the test. I love analogies!!
Is there a cloud forming in your life? Like that little fist sized cloud that Ezekiel saw coming over the horizon that grew to produce the much needed rain? Praise God for it instead of complaining. Is there an uncertainty ahead? Wait upon the Lord for answers. If He is silent, think on what He has taught you. But don't stop worshipping God. Thank Him for the opportunity to grow through the cloud He has come in.
When a friend called and we got into a discussion on testing and trials I rushed into the house to read this to her. It was definitely not a thought that had ever occurred to me, but was so profound I had to share it with her.
Chambers suggests that God comes along with those not so pleasant things in life we endure. "God cannot come near without clouds, He does not come in clear shining." I am reminded of the scripture in Exodus 13:21 - And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way. While they wandered the wilderness, the people of Israel were afraid to be in the presence of God so He hid Himself in a cloud. Exodus 16:10 - ..that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. And Exodus 33:9 tells us, And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses. God is hidden in that cloud. We should be thankful for that.
Chambers says, "through every cloud He brings, He wants us to unlearn something." Our belief in Him needs to become so simplified that it is like that of a child. "Come as little children." I know I've read many different places that we make too much of our relationship with God. It's not a difficult thing but we seem to do nothing but make it difficult. Little children believe what they are told.
He also tells us that everyone in our life should be a shadow. I'm sure this means they should be of much less importance in our lives and that God would clearly stand out in front of them. He tells us that "Until other people become shadows, clouds and darkness will be mine every now and again." Worship God, not others, not the world.
Isn't this what God keeps telling us? Worship Me. I believe there's a song that tells us to praise Him in the morning, at noontime and in the evening. He is the Lord our God, we are to have no other gods before Him. We are to keep our eyes upon the Lord and lift our eyes up to the hills where our help comes from. Our lives should revolve around Him, not anyone else, and when we allow Him in our lives, He will give us the desires of our hearts and all other things will be added to us. What's so hard about understanding that? Why do we need to complicate it?
My friend was telling me how she heard someone say that in school teachers give tests. The tests aren't a time of learning. The teacher doesn't teach at that time. The teacher is silent. When we are being tested by God we sometimes wonder why we are not hearing from Him. He has already taught us and He wants to see what we've learned and whether we will pass the test. I love analogies!!
Is there a cloud forming in your life? Like that little fist sized cloud that Ezekiel saw coming over the horizon that grew to produce the much needed rain? Praise God for it instead of complaining. Is there an uncertainty ahead? Wait upon the Lord for answers. If He is silent, think on what He has taught you. But don't stop worshipping God. Thank Him for the opportunity to grow through the cloud He has come in.
Psalm 113:3 - From the rising of the sun to its going down the LORD's name is to be praised.
This is one of Chambers' writings that had the biggest effect on me ... to unlearn and let go of all that we think is truth and just soak in His Truth ... for others to become shadows ... oh yes! This is life-changing!
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