An interesting reflection today, considering conversations this week about the cold, the rain, the chageability of it all, etc…… It reminds me, too, of scripture that also says, “The rain falls on the just and the unjust.” (Posted 2/4/2016)
God’s Icy Breath by Joni Eareckson Tada
“The breath of God produces ice, and the broad waters become frozen. He brings the clouds to punish men or to water his earth and show his love.” Job 37:10
“Midwest winters between mid-January and early March are notorious for their lack of romance. God’s cold breath is felt daily. The deepest lakes thicken their icy crust and the wind’s biting fury finds the tiniest crack in your down-filled armor, blowing snow into every nook and cranny of your coat. It’s no wonder millions of birds, and people, move to Florida and other more habitable places! For those left behind, it can sometimes feel like getting God’s ‘cold shoulder,’ a sort of punishment for living.
As creatures of comfort we easily interpret the harshness of such winters, or any kind of circumstance, as God’s punishment. And pleasant skies – or pleasant living – is seen as God’s favor. Elihu, Job’s friend, rightly observed that God’s breath and hands, as well His purposes, are varied. He does not order the events of the universe to fulfill the desires or deservedness of a single soul without His consideration of a world of souls. He will care for His planet as He sees fit. What seems like hardship for one, is blessing for another – the same snow that extends the morning commute by an hour keeps the earth insulated and moist for next year’s planting.
Have no doubt that your circumstances are ordered by God. But whether they become, for you, a celebration or crisis depends upon your humble relationship with Him. After all, every hearty Midwesterner knows that harsh winters come with the territory. It’s at those moments when we accept, endure, and even embrace the seeming frigidness of God’s breath that we see His larger purposes, His broader love. He’s not turned His back on creation at all. He’s simply loving it as only a creator could.
It’s yours, Lord – the earth and all that it contains.”