Pastor's Thoughts

 

           I was setting on the porch the other day on a warm and partly sunny evening. The light blue sky was filled with white fluffy clouds that seemed to migrate through the southern sky like a herd of water buffalo. I noted their ever changing shape and size along with their persistent journey from the west to the east. Having completed their voyage, sailing as it were beyond the horizon, never again would those same clouds ever pass this way again. Yes there would be other clouds, some similar in shape and size, but they would not be the clouds that I enjoyed that day.

 

           I thought I can see my life in their journey. I arrived like a cloud in this world seemingly from nowhere. My journey started in March of 1957. The winds of this world have brought many changes to my life. In fact every day, even if I didn’t notice saw changes taking place. I have aged, my needs became different with each passing day, and although I am the same person, I have changed somewhat, for the better or worse. All the while the journey from the west to the east continues.

 

           Like clouds life sometimes seem to move swiftly and at other time it rest peacefully almost at a standstill. In the rushed and frantic times we try to hold things together, we hurry to get everything accomplished, and hope that the pressures will soon subside. When things slow down we tend to get restless or board and instead of enjoying the peacefulness we look for something new and exciting in which to become involved. All the while our journey from the west to the east continues.

                

                 Sometimes the sun’s rays make the clouds appear like solid white balls of cotton. At other times shadows darken portions of the cloud producing light gray tones or even areas that are black. The white clouds pose no threat of a storm but the dark and gloomy ones are a different story. In this analogy I think of the influence that I have had upon others as I pass by. Has my presence shined with the radiance of the Son, or have I allowed shades of darkness to obstruct His presence? Is my way of life producing an overtone of peace, calm assurance, and Godly tranquility; or as a pass by, do others feel they need to take shelter for fear or dread of what may come because they are encountering my presence? All the while our journey from the west to the east continues.

 

           Then I thought, one day my journey here, like the cloud’s, will meet the horizon. I will pass from this world into the realms of eternity never again to pass through this world’s sky. Then what shape I hold won’t matter, how fast or slow my journey will not be the issue, but the presence of light or darkness will determine my destiny.

 

That is when God’s word came to mind. Eph 5:8-11 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

 

                 There are so many things I can’t control in my life as I float helplessly through this thing called life, pushed by the winds of the world. But the one thing, and may I add the most important thing in my opinion, I can control, is the presence of the Son in my life. I chose to give Him access to begin with as He stood at the door of my heart and knocked, and I choose this day to allow the brilliance of His presence to shine in and through all of me. If I can make that decision today to let Jesus shine me, I can make that same decision tomorrow if my journey has not ended. That reality, my friend, is the source all of my hope. Without Jesus all I see is darkness but with Him I have hope of a cloudless day!

 

            

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