Windows for God
The other day, I was sitting in my chair in the quiet morning, studying the Bible. My chair, more or less, faces North and there is a big bay window facing East. During this time of the year (summer time), the sun streams through the window about the time I’m ready to get up and do other things. There is a line of trees a couple houses away that block the sun for a period while it rises. This means that even though it is light out, I haven’t yet seen the sun until it rises in the sky high enough to clear the trees.
That morning, I was contemplating something, when I looked up and saw the sun stream over the top of the trees and it blinded me. My first thought was Moses and Paul’s encounters with God.
“Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.” - Exodus 33:18-23 ESV
“When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.” - Exodus 34:29-30
“Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.” - Acts 9:3-9
Then, on the way to church this morning, the sky was cloudy except for a good size break in the clouds. The sun was streaming down through the break and my wife commented that it looked like a window for God. Now God doesn’t have any limitations in knowing what is going on here on earth. If anything, I thought it represented the opposite, the opportunity to consider God’s majesty.
“Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven.” - Psalm 148:13
“Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place.” - 1 Chronicles 16:23-27
“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” - Romans 1:19-20
Wherever you experience God’s majesty in nature, remember that he knew you before he created the universe and loves you.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” - Ephesians 1:3-6
