But just as suddenly as they appeared, we rounded another curve, and the mountains momentarily disappeared. Seemingly vanished completely. Where had they gone? No where, of course! Those majestic hills still sat just as serenely and solidly has they had a moment earlier... or a thousand years earlier. They had not vanished or moved one iota... we were the ones who had moved. The reality of the mountain's presence had not altered, only our vision, our perception, of them had changed. And sure enough, a few curves later, there they were again... only this time a wee bit bigger. We now could see them even better and more clearly. Still there... only bigger and better!
Same thing with this view of the valley. I've taken this same shot at least 100 times off the porch of our house overlooking the valley below. On a sunny day, you can clearly see Pilot Mountain, looking as one of our children describes it, "like the top of baby bottle sticking straight up." We've taken beautiful photos of Pilot Mountain at sunrise and sunset and everything in-between. I know it's there. I'm telling you that it is absolutely there... but you can't see it in this photo, can you? Nope, just some trees, a single soaring bird, and an extremely cloudy valley. Those pesky clouds obscure our vision of the reality beyond our porch.
God has given us His promises. He has given us His Son. He has given us eternal life. He has given us heaven. Our vision, our perception, clouded as it so often is by our sinfulness, our doubt, our circumstances, does not change the reality, the "real," rock-solid Truth behind God's gift of salvation, of abundant, eternal life, and behind every single one of His promises. Some days we contentedly feel that joyous reality deep in our marrow. We know that we know that we know. We feel His presence, His pleasure, His goodness, His grace. And, boy, it is a tiny foretaste of heaven!
But then on other days, we waiver. We struggle to truly see--to see with our hearts, to see with our faith that which is unseeable. Like Peter walking on the water to Jesus, buoyant and exhilarated, we suddenly look around at our circumstances and focus on the waves and not the Savior. And we begin to flail around and sink.
Don't we all have them: those doubting, darkened days? Those times when our young children seem to stay sick, sleep flees, and we feel exhausted, depleted and discouraged. Or those times when we deal with criticism or unfair treatment or betrayal. Or we feel overwhelmed with the strain of caring for a loved one--whether elderly or prodigal or ill or difficult or seemingly unlovable. Maybe it's worry or waiting or weakness that has us failing to see and believe that our Father is really there and that all His promises are true.
Can we trust even when we cannot see?
All I know is that Pilot Mountain is there even though my vision is momentarily blocked.
And the mountains do not move or disappear even when they are completely absent from our view. They stand strong and immovable... always there, always faithfully beckoning to those who would come closer, look and see.
Such are God's promises made to each of us in His Word. Immovable, eternal, powerful, unchanging, supernatural... all real and rock-solid and TRUE. He has not left you. He has not changed. He has not moved. He is only a breath away, a prayer away. We just need to stop seeking to measure Him and His promises against our circumstances and instead measure all our circumstances against Him. Measure all against His greatness, His love, His power, His faithfulness, His kindness, His grace.
Believe Him... and then see. Fix our gaze upon Him in His Word and then see the clouds begin to dissipate and the vision clear. Keep traveling closer to Him, keep seeking Him in the midst of the journey, and suddenly around those bends in the road, you find your vision of Him bigger and better and greater than ever before. Isn't it funny how the bends in the road, those struggles and strains of life that momentarily block our vision, always ultimately result in our having a closer, clearer vision of Him and His glory? But it sometimes takes some time.. and trust.
"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me, In My Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also." (John 14:1-3)
So many glorious promises--this one I read just this morning. Having lost a good friend recently, how I rejoice in this reality--a place for us, a place for our loved ones--lovingly, completely, perfectly, faithfully prepared by the Lord Jesus! And He's promised to come back and take every single one of His children home to their new and glorious and eternal abode. Maybe we can't see it... but it's there, because He said so. The real reality of a future home so much greater and bigger and better and more glorious than this one we see now. I can't see it yet... but I believe!
Lord, help us to believe, even when we cannot see. Teach us to trust You and Your Word even when clouds come along or curves in the road block our view. For we know You are there, You even now are preparing our eternal, perfect home, and You will never leave us or forsake us. Help us, Father, to believe and then to see. For a vision of You is glorious and beautiful beyond all our imagining!
To our faithful, eternal, immovable, Rock and Savior, be all the glory forever.
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