Glimpses of the Past, Present and Future

 

“Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan—the people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” *

When my mom moved into her apartment at a luxurious retirement home in Bakersfield, California, her only complaint was the view from her window. The air conditioning unit on the roof of the building was all mom could see. Being a creative person, she painted a landscape on a piece of clear vinyl and taped it to the inside of the window! Problem solved!

I have a similar problem when looking out the window directly above my desk in the guest bedroom. The beige brick wall of our neighbor’s house with a chimney and a small add-on room takes up about three fourths of the view. Rust stains on the brick are not a pretty sight either.

However, over the rooftop there is a patch of sky visible as well as the upper portion of two tall evergreens and a few maple trees. One of these days, I might try painting a scene on vinyl and covering the window completely. But for now, I do enjoy looking up at the sky.

On some mornings, there are hints of the sunrise with blue and pink giving way to the powerful rays of the sun. Occasionally, the vapor trail of a jet makes a golden path on its way eastward or an “x” when it crosses paths with another plane.

Later in the morning on a sunny day, it feels good to tilt my face upward, letting the rays warm my face until I can no longer stand the glare and am compelled to close the blinds. Often there are views of magnificent clouds being driven by the winds, moving quickly before disappearing out of sight. Sometimes the sky is obscured completely or only small chinks of blue are allowed to peak through.

So, what am I looking for? Nothing really, only inspiration from the beauty of the sky and nature, as well as from God’s word, as I sit quietly reading, observing and reflecting.

Inspiration often comes unexpectedly, for example in the form of a mourning dove that sat on the peak of the house and serenaded me with her cooing one day or the fleeting glimpse of a Canada goose flying alone as the wind raged outside.

 The evergreens whose branches are seldom still also inspire me. When a storm is brewing and wind gusts are picking up speed, their strong roots and intertwined branches keep them from toppling over—at least so far! 

My window affords just a limited view, much like the prophecies from the Old Testament gave people glimpses of the coming Messiah. For hundreds of years, the Jews looked forward to His coming in great anticipation. There were prophecies about His divine nature, lineage, birth, ministry, and death. All of these were fulfilled in Jesus Christ…except for the prophecies of His return as the King of Kings!

 I wonder if we look forward to His return with the same great anticipation. It will happen! Maranatha…come quickly Lord Jesus!

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end. He will reign on David’s throne establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time forth and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV

* Isaiah 9:1-2 NIV

 

Glimpses of Sky and Nature from the Window of My Study

*****

A shield of gray

obscures my limited view

Where’s the sun?

*****

Blue sky succumbs

to an ever-advancing army…

cloud invasion

*****

Sunbeams burst forth

burning my upturned face

feeling good

*****

Like an arrow

a plane cuts through the clouds

flying to its mark

*****

Smoke wafting

from a stone-cold chimney?

No, just wispy clouds

*****

Roar of the wind

evergreens doing the tango

firmly anchored

*****

one lone goose

on a solitary flight

survivor? victim?

(JLL 12-22)