Date: February 4th 2010

Cloudy…

Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him…
Revelation 1:7

A cloudy day can be a hope-filled day for those of us who are waiting for Christ’s return. One day, Jesus will appear in the clouds above to take us Home to Heaven with Him! What a Day that will be!

We all need Jesus…those who are hurting, those who are troubled, those who are in the process of watching someone about to leave their earthly body or grieving in the aftermath of that. Even those who aren’t concerned with such issues right now, but are just living through the day-in and day-out of life need Jesus—because life can be hard, and all of life will come to the same end…the death of “these weak mortal bodies of ours.” Sticking our heads in the sand and pretending this won’t happen solves nothing and leaves us in the dark, and in fear. God doesn’t want us living in that darkness; He wants us walking in His light. Our death, and Jesus’ return to earth, is not darkness to God—It’s when the Father gets to welcome believers Home to live with Him forever. We can live in that victory each day! We can have hope on a dark cloudy day as believers in Jesus Christ!

When the weather is cloudy, or when our life is dark and cloudy, filled with frustration, hurt, despair, sorrow, etc…, we have to believe that this too shall pass…we have to stay focused and allow the Lord to turn our darkness into light, because He will. It may not be overnight, it may take a very long time, but God is true to His promises. Clouds are not meant to cover the sun, they are there to bring us much needed rain to keep us alive—and dark clouds in life are not meant to cover the Son, they are there most times to bring us into a much needed intimate relationship with our Lord and to help us be fully live.

Paul knew Jesus; he was temporarily blinded by His great light on the road to Damascus. Paul’s life was never the same again, and he lived each day with his regained sight set on the reality of Heaven as his feet walked this earth proclaiming the Good News to those who would believe. Paul said: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far…” Philippians 1:21-23 (NIV) Thoughts of dying shouldn’t bring us down, it should bring us up…because it points our thoughts heavenward, and it can give us hope. It can help us to know that this world is not our home; we are only passing through so we might as well enjoy the journey.

So when the earth is shaking in Haiti, and when the weather report is “Cloudy,” let us all remember, “It’s Cloudy…With a Chance of Jesus,” and then we can live in great Hope! In Jesus own words He said: “Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." (Matthew 26:64)