Yesterday was challenging. Mid-afternoon, we received a call from my wife’s new doctor informing us that that her recent tests showed that she was in serious condition and that we needed to go to the emergency room right away. It was a life-threatening situation. You can imagine the fear, and a host of other emotions, that flooded us in that moment. Things can turn upside-down in a moment.

Things can also turn in good ways just as fast. After some time at the hospital, and consultation with a previous physician, we discovered that there was a misunderstanding in the interpretation of the data. My wife was completely fine, and she was able to return home with me a few minutes later. It was a wild ride and, while we may not be happy about the process, we are elated at the end result.

As I processed my emotions last night, I took some time before we went to sleep to read some Scripture and to pray. I typically work my way through the Psalms before bed. I opened to where I left off, and began reading right at Psalm 91.

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

It is funny how God provides just what we need to hear when we are attentive. As I read through the remainder of the Psalm, I found my peace increase, and I gave thanks for God’s presence in every circumstance.

As I approached the end of the chapter, I found the closing words especially helpful. I know these words were probably written for the king of Israel when they were composed, and I strongly advocate reading the Scripture in context. Still, last night, I felt these same words applied to our situation and so I claimed them for our lives as well. So, pardon me as I change the pronouns in the text, and I pray that you might find hope in them as well:

“Because she loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue her;

I will protect her, for she acknowledges my name.

She will call on me, and I will answer her;

I will be with her in trouble,

I will deliver her and honor her.

With long life I will satisfy her

and show her my salvation.”

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When we see God, the awe and wonder of the experience changes us, and we slowly become windows through which other people have their own God sightings.

Another year passed without seeing the Perseid meteor shower. Every year, I make an effort to see this cosmic display, and cloud cover obscures my view. It was over two decades ago that I saw them while working at a children’s ministry camp. The experience was breathtaking, and I keep waiting to see their beauty once again. I could just give up, but then I would settle for never seeing them again. Even though I cannot see them, I know they are there. So, I continue to look, trusting that one night, the skies will be clear and I can have another experience with them.

The Psalmist was captivated by the heavens as well. He wrote, “You have set your glory in the heavens,” and that revelation humbled him. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” he reflected, and then went on to declare the praises of God. His revelation continues to impact millions of people today.

God sightings are worth the effort and the time, because revelation makes a difference. It gives us fresh eyes to see ourselves and the world. Through the lens of God, we capture a better vision of God, understand ourselves better, and see others as God sees them. Sometimes, our vision is clouded, but that doesn’t mean that we stop looking. God loves revelation, and our persistence pays off in the end.

There are many things that can cloud our view of God, but one of the greatest culprits is us. We get in our own way through our choices and mindsets, and we obscure our own vision. It can be that we narrow our expectations of where such revelation will come, certain that we know how and where God will show up. It can be an untrue belief that God will not give us revelation. It can even come from the frenetic pace we choose to embrace, that keeps us from looking in the first place.

Recently, I took some vacation time with my wife. I was so excited to get away, and I couldn’t wait to reach our destination so that our vacation could begin. Of course, our vacation began as we pulled away from our home, but I was focused on our destination. I confess, I am too often, destination driven, and in my focus on my perception of the goal, I can miss what is right in front of me. When my GPS took me on an unexpected route, you can imagine my challenge as we passed through a long series of small towns, instead of being on the highway like I hoped. As the trip progressed, I wrestled with a lot of inner frustration, and kept looking for the fastest way to get where we were going.

My wife does not share my passion for destination. She is much better at living in the moment and appreciating where she is at the time. As I drove with purpose to shave a few more minutes off the trip, she was actively celebrating all of the new things she was able to see. I lamented the trip we were taking, while she kept pointing out beautiful homes, and the quaint communities passed through. When I mentioned the disparity between our thinking, she replied, “I am having such a great time! I am with you, and I am seeing all of these wonderful things I never saw before.” I was humbled to say the least, and I began to try to see our trip through her eyes.

Sometimes, we need a guide to help us see. Just as my wife helped to remove my own blindness to the blessings around me, the Psalmist, and others, show us the God sightings we are missing. God loves revelation because it gives us a better understanding of who God is, and deepens our relationship with him. As our eyes are opened, we see God more clearly, and the more we see, the more we train our spiritual eyes to see. One God sighting leads to another. Before long, we begin to see God everywhere.

So, today, lets agree together to let God guide us, through the Scripture, through others, or through whatever means God has for us, so that we can see the revelation of God that is right before us. If our vision is clouded, lets keep looking, for the revelation is there waiting to be discovered. If we keep looking, our persistence will be rewarded. We will see God and we will be changed. Then, like my wife did for me, we can help others see what they are missing. May today be filled with God sightings for us all!

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“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make melody. Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn. I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples, and I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is higher than the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.” – Psalm 108:1-4

I am not a morning person. Although I am more used to rising early, it never quite seems like my natural habitat. People often talk to me about the joy of seeing the sunrise, but I tend to think, “If God wanted me to see the sunrise, it would be scheduled later in the day.” Nevertheless, my schedule, and daybreak, do coincide occasionally.

Some sunrises are spectacular, rivaling any beautiful sunset. Others, like this morning, are not immediately inspiring. The growing daylight reveals overcast skies and rain clouds. There is no flaming ball of fire, rising over the horizon; no glorious splashes of red, orange, and yellow, set against the backdrop of the dark blue sky. The light brightens, revealing grey skies and muted colors. It doesn’t seem quite as spectacular.

The psalmist declares he will, “awaken the dawn.” I hear those words and immediately picture the light breaking through the mists on the field to reveal the vivid color of creation. In my mind, it is always a wondrous display, as light overcomes darkness and the full spectrum of life is made visible. I never picture gray, cloudy mornings, until today.

Although the clouds and rain are hiding the glory of the morning sun, the sunrise is no less wondrous. It’s brightness and color are as beautiful as ever, even if it is hidden from my sight. Today, I must trust my knowledge of what I cannot see, and bring to mind the memories of the beauty of previous experiences.

It is in the gray mornings, and seasons, of our lives, that our hearts must remain steadfast. It is in the moments that do not seem glorious that we need to sing and make melody, and in the darkness that we remember that God’s love and faithfulness are higher than the heavens. The joy of faith is easy when things are bright and beautiful, and we should declare our praise in those times, but we are blessed when we remember continue to declare our praise, and maintain steadfast trust in God when it is not easy to see.

We are all tempted to let our experiences and feelings dictate our faith, but we are much better off when we let our faith inform, and shape, our experiences and feelings. Jesus told his disciples, “In this life you will have troubles, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) As people of faith, we do not ignore the realities of life, nor do we pretend everything is good. Instead, we see life for what it is, yet we choose to remember God’s love and faithfulness, and look beyond what we can see in the moment. We choose to trust that the sun is shining even when we cannot see it. We choose to walk by faith.

Today, things may appear gray and gloomy, but we can still sing and give praise in our heart. When we do, we will let that inner truth turn even the darkest day into a glorious sunrise of the Spirit.

Our hearts are steadfast, O God, our hearts are steadfast!

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I lift up my eyes to the hills – from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:1-2 NRSV

Yesterday morning, our internet went out. It seems a tree fell somewhere and took the line down with it. While the temporary loss was no tragedy, it did cause some significant impact on my plans for the day, including posting to the Cafe. Each new project I attempted revealed a greater reliance upon my technological connection. It was a glaring absence from my daily life, and a mild epiphany regarding my level of dependence. Cut off from my internet connection, I felt profoundly cut off from my life.

It is amazing how easily we become dependent upon the conveniences in our lives. Take one away, and we begin to feel like we cannot function. It is this reliance that fuels our willingness to pay for access, and our constant connection to our smartphones and devices. The technology is woven into our lives, making us feel empty without it.

In my newfound, unplugged time, I found myself reflecting upon my technological dependence, and questioning the depth of my dependence upon God. I, or maybe it was the Holy Spirit, began asking if I was as aware of my dependence upon God, and if I would so readily recognize any disconnection. I talk about my need for God, but do I really affirm that need with my thoughts and actions? Do I feel as separated and confounded if I miss my time in study, prayer, and meditation? I wasn’t sure I liked my answers.

We depend upon many things to make our lives more convenient and effective, but we depend upon God for life itself. God is not removed from creation, standing back and watching it unfold. Rather, God is intimate, enmeshed in the details of every life, giving meaning to our experiences and joys, while redeeming our hurts and pains. We need God just as we need air to breathe. Our dependence upon God never changes, but our awareness of that dependence does. The deeper issue is our awareness.

Truthfully, I lived without the internet and other technology for many years, and I still can. There are also millions of people who live without it every day. Dependence upon technology is more of an illusion than we realize. Life without dependence upon God is also an illusion.

In Psalm 121, the psalmist knew where his true dependence rested. It was in God, and God alone. That is why we also declare, “From where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.”

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I keep a small flashlight by the bed so that I can find things and get around without disturbing my wife as she sleeps. I noticed that the batteries were growing weaker, and the light a little dimmer each night, but I kept forgetting to replace them until I try to use it after we were in bed. It is no surprise then, that the last time I went to use it, the light came on, but was too dim to provide any help.

In Psalm 119, a psalm devoted to the importance of the divine teaching of the word of God, the psalmist declares, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (V.105) A few verses later, we read, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” (V. 130)

The light we use to navigate our path will make all the difference in how well we find our way. The wrong light will have a significant impact on our journey. While there are many voices encouraging us to follow our own path, or to live by a substitute to the direction of God, there is no other source that can successfully lead us where we need to go.

Looking over the substitutes offered in place Of the word of God, I am reminded of a hiking excursion I took in college. Walking along the path, we passed a beautiful stream. The scenic beauty made the clear running water seem all the more inviting, and after all of the hiking, many of our group were ready to savor the refreshment it offered.

Our leader suggested we wait until we crested the next hill where would have better access. He was right, it was better, and clearer. In fact, it was in that clarity that we could now see all of the beaver dung at the bottom of the stream. The water no longer looked so appealing.

I learned a valuable lesson there: the source matters. The beauty of the stream, the depth of my thirst, even the popular opinion, were nothing compared to the source of the water.

The same is true as we navigate life. We need pure light to show us the way. It doesn’t matter how appealing or popular something is. What matters is, is it true? Just because something sounds reasonable, or loving, or nice, doesn’t mean it is truly any of those things. Just because it comes from a celebrity voice, or in beautiful words, doesn’t make it truth.

To truly see where we are going, and where we need to go, we need a standard that is beyond ourselves, something that reveals the way things really are, and who we really are, as well. Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) Real liberty, real light, and real life, come from walking in the divine direction of the word of God. There is no substitute, no matter how enticing it appears.

The word of God is a treasure. It is a pure stream from which we can drink deeply. It provides refreshing for our spirits, and clarity for our minds. Indeed, it is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. The more we allow the Holy Spirit to unfold it in our lives, the more we will be able to see by its light.

How do you allow the word of God to enlighten your journey?

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