Jack and I are once again prowling the beach in a foot of snow. As I stepped over the top of the dune this morning, my boot sunk in deep enough to fill it, a chilly feeling. Nevertheless, the vista was gorgeous.
While we were in Florida, the monster snow mounds that had been so formidable have shrunk considerably. Although Mary and I confidently walked on the first two “ice-ranges”, we dared not venture out to three and four. Now the situation is more unstable than ever as Lake Michigan is again churning, eating away at the icy foundations under the snow.
Truth be told, the water beneath what appeared to be sturdy ice all winter was never stable. As we tentatively stepped onto what looked rock-solid, the ice could easily have turned into floating icebergs. Crevices and cracks in the surface that were visible clued us into what was happening underneath. As the local creek flowed from the woods toward the lake like it has for centuries, it ducked under the ice but never stopped flowing.
As Mary said at the time, “We see it moving in the woods, heading for the lake. It has to go somewhere, but where?” It was invisible.
Now, with the icy snow in mid-melt, we see. The water movement was no less real when it was invisible, but we doubted its reality. Massive chunks of glacier-like mini-cliffs are “calving” into the lake now, testifying to the state of flux that always existed. Mary was right. The water had been heading for the lake directly under our feet, gently, slowly, but steadily flowing. And moving water always carves away at what’s nearby.
Much of life is about the invisible. Emotions, thoughts, promises, the future. God, too, is invisible. After thinking about it, I’m inclined to believe the most critical part of life is what’s happening under the surface. Whatever’s going on beneath our outward exterior is the foundation of who we are. And interestingly, our unseen-ness eventually becomes seen.
If we cheat when no one is watching, eventually we get caught. If we overeat, even in secret, eventually we get fat. If we harbor hatred toward someone, eventually we explode. If we walk on ice with water flowing beneath it, eventually we fall in the lake. If we never spend time with God, eventually we’ll be far from him. Reality is about the “eventually”.
It’s so difficult for us to believe the invisibles. As my boot filled with snow and my foot got cold, I knew many people were walking around in flip-flops in climates that were sweltering. But when my feet were freezing, their warmth wasn’t real.
If we don’t believe in the invisibles, we’ll miss out on a great deal of what’s important. As for me, I still struggle with believing what I can’t see except for one thing. Long ago I decided to put my trust in the unseen God. Watching what he orchestrates on my local beach is enough to make me a believer. But there are other reasons I depend on him, like the many changed lives that are visible, people who make every move based on the personal lordship of that same God and then live victoriously.
As I paced through the weeks of Nate’s cancer last fall and now walk through the months of widowhood, my invisible God has sustained me and provided for me in a thousand visible ways. How could I ever doubt that he’s really there?
”Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)
That is so beautiful. I need to pass this on because it is so powerful and meaningful to me. Thank You so much,
Love,
Nancy
Can’t wait to get back to our favorite place! God was good to give us each other and to give us that spectacular spot to romp together. Love to you and your mama.
Beautiful photos! Wish we were there…
Hi Margaret,
Lots to think about with your words today. I must say, I’d rather be one of those people in flip-flops right now struggling to believe others might be cold, though your pictures do capture the beauty of cold!
I remember Kay Arthur once giving an illustration of a little girl who had hid her neighbor’s doll (or close to that narrative anyways), and had buried it so it could not be found. Somehow, the next season, whatever it was buried under ( flowers, grass, I’m not sure) grew in the exact shape of the doll hidden underneath. It does all come to the surface somehow doesn’t it?
I think that is what it means to live without guile- that who we are on the inside is consistent with our external persona. There is a certain wholeness that kind of person exudes. I know that is not me, but I’d love to get there.
I was talking about your blog this morning at Bible study and how it has expanded to the Rush website- all because I think you and your family made God visible through the way you all handled Nate’s cancer. I am sure the hospital personnel see hundreds of families in the same desperate situation, but your family was different, and made the invisible God visible. Pastor James, in his new book on trials, opens with the premise that what separates Christians from the rest of the world is not what we go through, but how we go through it. It is one thing to say we are people of faith, it is quite another living that faith when from an earthly perspective the odds are stacked against it.
One of the ladies this morning shared that when Daniel’s three friends emerged from the fiery furnace, they did not even smell like smoke. They left no trace of negative effects of the trial. What a contrast to smell like smoke or to give off the fragrant aroma of Christ. You have consistently been smelling like the latter.
This is not a path you would have chosen in a million years, but you picked up the walking stick anyways, and all along the way God has used you to say to everyone else, “this is the way, walk in it.”
Much love,
Terry
I was again so encouraged by your words today… I passed them along. I often find there are so many people I want to meet and know better and learn from and time here on earth is SO short. How wonderful it would be to sit and share a cup of tea with you and meditate on His Word…be encouraged by the Truth. How I would love to meet Marge and serve and bless her for how she so selflessly blesses others. It would be so great to pick Terry’s brain… and to pray with Him. What a gift he has for encouragement and prayer. But God has me right where he wants me to serve and love the people right here- to confess Christ that he may receive the glory. So I can’t wait to meet all of you in heaven… so much joy to look forward to as we fellowship and worship our great God in all of His revealed glory!
I just realized that my comments above regarding Terry’s gift for prayer perhaps should have said that I would be blessed to pray with HER. Sorry if I mixed that up. I should have noticed the Kay Arthur and Daniel study note. 🙂
such beauty in the chill of winter! If you’ve not already read it..”BRUSHKO’ BY Bruce Olson…on of the most compelling books I’ve ever read on faith, God’s provision and awesome power.(outside of the bible) that’s just book #1..I can hardly wait to get into the sequel.
Blessings
Hi Sarah,
I have a Sarah with an h! Thank you for your kind words. You can pick my brain, but it’d be slim.
My birth name is Theresa, but I had a 1st grade teacher who asked me if I wanted to be called Terry, which I had never considered up until that moment. When she asked how I’d like to spell it, at the time I preferred making y’s over i’s, and that’s the rest of the story. I did not know then that it would be confusing on paper!
Terry