His Love is Everywhere

I was blessed enough to be asked to speak for a few minutes at our annual church women's retreat. As I was given no topic and free reign to talk about whatever I wanted, I went through about a million things to discuss. I was worried because I was given a short time to talk and knew that would be the most difficult part about my speaking. As you have probably noticed I love to talk. I can talk on and on and on, in person and not just on paper. My older sister once described me as “never having met a stranger” and I thought that was pretty funny and very accurate. The group of people I had never seen before, whom I interrupted and then talked to for 30 minutes out in the parking lot after church this Sunday can attest to that. They now know my life story (not kidding) and all about the revival going on in Lakeland and they definitely aren't strangers now.

The week leading up to the women's retreat I found myself super stressed out, not getting any sleep and generally under attack by the enemy on all sides. At the retreat I joked that Satan kept throwing those nails strips under my tires trying to stop me from coming to the retreat. Cops throw these strips with nails on them out in front of runaway vehicles and they shred their tires causing them to slow down or stop. I said I was riding on rims to get to the retreat but I made it and didn't let anything stop me. (When I told that to someone they responded that riding on rims would cause sparks and I liked that image)

My sister had the misfortune to carpool with me the hour and half it takes to get to the resort called Tan~Tara where the event was held. I was thinking if I could not ride down with me, I would; Because I so worn out and stressed out that I was sick of myself. You know what I am talking about when you wish you could take a vacation from yourself, I wished I didn't have to carpool with me. The drive was especially interesting because the elements were conspiring against me as storms were rolling in, the skies were very dark and extremely high winds kept buffeting the car. I just felt like another thing was going wrong and it was adding to my negative attitude. I was worried some ladies might be deterred from coming with the weather the way it was or someone might get in an accident. So I prayed that both would not happen and that the Lord would keep everyone safe and that they would be in a better mood than me.

The terrain to the resort has lots of little hills and after popping over one, I was suddenly struck by the beauty in the distant sky up ahead. There was a large opening in the dark cloud cover and tons a big fat rays of golden sunlight were pouring down. I got so excited and pointed it out to my sister and said, “Maybe all those rays are shining down right now on the resort where we are going. Maybe God is just pouring down His blessings on it preparing it for this weekend!” I was so uplifted at just the sight of it. Then my compilation CD switched to a new song whose lyrics were “your love is everywhere, your love is everywhere.”

Yes, His love is everywhere! The sun was shining everywhere above the thick cloud cover, just because I didn't see it shining down all over didn't mean it wasn't there. I just didn't have the ability to see it, from where I was. The break in the clouds made the streaming sunlight breathtakingly beautiful; whereas if it was just an ordinary sunny day I wouldn't have even thought about the sun, its rays or even appreciated its beauty. I would have taken for granted the dazzling orb's light and all its varied abilities. Much like God's love.

God's love is everywhere, He is everywhere regardless of whether or not we sense it or see it, His love is everywhere. When the clouds and times in our lives are darkest and His love and support bursts through and comforts us it is all the more dramatic and breathtaking. But on any given day, no matter cloudy or sunny, rainy or snowy the sun is still shinning above the cloud cover. The sun is constant, it doesn't change, it is always shining blindingly bright giving light and life to all.

I remember once taking off down the runway in a plane on a very cloudy and dreary day. The plane climbed and climbed blurring through the clouds until suddenly we burst through them and it was a glorious day with brilliant blue skies and a carpet of white and gray clouds underneath us. On the ground it was a miserable day but once you soared past the layer of clouds it was a totally different world in which the storm clouds underneath became beautiful and no longer oppressive. The contrast was so extreme, it was the same day and only feet and seconds made all the difference in what I saw and felt about the day.

Lord, please reveal to us your ever constant presence, let Your light shine to us and through us. Please continue to comfort us through our dark and cloudy days. Please give us a new perspective and take us higher in You to see and experience new things in You. Let us always bask in Your ever present love.

Psalm 44:3 “ It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them. You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.”

Psalm 109:21 & 26 “But you, O Sovereign LORD, deal well with me for your name's sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. Help me, O LORD my God; save me in accordance with your love.

Heaven helped me 6/5/08
Love Always,
A*