Psalm 19:1-4
The heavens are telling the glory of
God; they are a marvelous display of his craftsmanship. Day and night
they keep on telling about God. Without a sound or word, silent in the
skies, their message reaches out to all the world. The sun lives in the
heavens where God placed it…
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
When I was a little girl, I remember how dark
it was at my grandparents’ farm at night. They lived “out in the
country”…with a dense woods bordering one side of their little house and
across the dirt road…and pasture land on the other two sides. I think I
may have been in college when the road in front of their house was
paved…and it might have even happened later than that. The highway that
lay behind their house was only a few acres away…but because of the
thick woods that served as a buffer, it seemed like this road was miles
to the north. The nights were not only incredibly dark…it was also very
quiet, except for wildlife like whippoorwills, owls, and an occasional
cow, dog, or rooster.
By the mid-nineties, Greg and I had owned
the farm for several years, and the “farm” description now only referred
to its former purpose. The barn and a couple of rusting implements
were all that remained to indicate that cattle had once filled the
pastures and barn lot…and that crops grew in the terraced fields. One
lone pear tree was all that was left of the orchard in which I stood on
my horse’s saddle as a young girl and picked apples. The hen house was
gone, along with the “smoke house” where we stacked firewood to keep it
dry for the winter – and most of the fencing had been removed.
Greg
and I built a new house smack in the middle of the pasture, and we had
virtually a 360-degree view of “wide open spaces”. We watched sunrises
and full moon rises in the back yard and sunsets in the front yard.
Even though much of the dense forest had been removed over time, and the
roads had been paved (adding to the noise), there were still more stars
in the sky on a clear night than anyone could count…and the views of
“the heavens” were spectacular. I called it my “Montana Sky”.
We
loved the farm and the 15+ years we lived there. But the time came
when a move was necessary, so we made the difficult decision to sell and
relocate. And we have lived in two other houses since then…each with
their own beautiful surroundings. In our present home, we once again
have views of the heavens. They are not as “wide-open” as the one we
once enjoyed…but the vista is extensive, just the same. I’ll admit…I
will always have a special place in my heart for the farm of my
childhood…the place where we built our “dream home” and enjoyed many
happy years.
But here’s the thing…the memories we created at the
farm will always be with us. And whether we can physically see them or
not, the “heavens” are forever in place, creating a canopy over us. We
are encompassed by God’s craftsmanship and glory. I love the views from
our windows. I never tire of it. I enjoy the continual reminder of
God’s glory and handiwork. But I know that the heavens will never
change or disappear…and God will always be with me, regardless of where I
live.
When I grow melancholy for the farm and an earlier time in
my life, I think of all of the wonderful days we enjoyed there. We
will always have our memories. They have traveled with me in my heart
from house to house! And God is always with me, too. There is evidence
in every corner of my life – every instance and circumstance. I am so
grateful for His continual presence…and the assurance that wherever I
go, there He will be, also.
Do you feel the continual presence of
God? Do you recognize His artisanship and the canopy of His protection
over your own life…and in your surroundings? Is the God of the heavens
the LORD of your life? Don’t you think it’s time He is?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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