by Nan Jones @NanJonesAuthor
The thunder romped across the heavens, rolling and barreling to its end. Lightning pierced the night sky bathing the trembling earth in sharp light. Wind. Hailstones. The Scripture tells us that smoke went up from God’s nostrils, and a devouring fire from His mouth.
All this because God’s servant, David, cried out to God to save him from his enemies.
“I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies … In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.” ~ Psalm 18:3,6
The very. next. phrase is, “Then the Lord …” and we begin to read line after line of God’s violent, urgent response to His child’s need. God showed up in all His glory and power. He threw around His might and His authority and, quite effectively, destroyed the enemy to set David free.
Oh, what a mighty God we serve!
And what a tender, beautiful God as well.
Genesis 2:6,7 reads, “but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”
First, the Lord moistened the earth with a mist – a dew – as He poured out His favor on the land, much like His grace that rains down from heaven. In His mighty hand, God swept the moisture into the dust of the earth. With great intention and purpose, He swirled the droplets of grace into the dry dust creating a perfect clay. God then shaped and formed His child, Adam.
Gently, the Lord cupped Adam’s head and face. He knelt over His creation and placed His lips over Adam’s parched lips and breathed the breath of life.
One breath.
The Lord pulled back and looked at His child who lay limp in His arms.
Again, He breathed and this time Adam’s chest began to rise and fall.
Adam opened his eyes, blinking to clear his vision. Eyes locked. Father and child met one another in the reflection of great love. Tender. Gentle. Everlasting.
Recently, I felt as though I was but the dust of the earth. No life. No joy. Just being blown around by the passing breeze.
But, God.
But God swirled refreshing grace into the dry dust and created the perfect clay. He repaired this broken vessel, making me strong and pliable. Then He held my face in His gentle, yet mighty hands and breathed life into His child.
Eyes locked and I found myself in the reflection of His great love.
As I lay resting, basking in the Truth of His love, He sent the thunder rolling and the lightning piercing to scatter my enemies. Smoke flared from His nostrils and the earth quaked at the sound of His voice. He rode upon the wings of the wind and sent out His arrows to destroy my foe.
O what a beautiful God! He is mighty to save, faithful to deliver.
Great is His love and His tender, Father’s touch.
A Tweetable to Encourage Others
Where is God when my enemies assail me? @NanJonesAuthor offers a glimpse. (Click to Tweet)
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Are you searching for the nearness the God when you need Him the most? I’ve created a facebook community page for folks like you and me – folks who want to step away from the chaos for a few minutes and focus on the goodness of the Lord. I’d love for you to visit Seeing Beyond the Veil