A verse has been tumbling through my mind since I read it a
few days ago. One of the words was unexpected and I have been puzzling through
how it works.
And then, while driving this week, I saw the smoke. A
towering four-story black smoke cloud tilted off-kilter from the horizon. The
rest of the world seemed normal and calm. Grassy hills mounded lazily to the
horizon. Cows and horses looked up stolidly as my car passed, and faint swirly
cirrus clouds stretched across the afternoon sky.
The black smoke swelled and grabbed my attention. Gripping
the steering wheel, I stole quick glances off to the left, following the smoke
down to its source. Tangerine tongues of fire burned from miles away. Flashing
crimson and orange flames captured my focus until the car drove over a ridge
and out of view.
The verse I had been pondering clicked in my brain. “I will show myself holy through them in the sight of many nations,” stated the Godhead
to his prophet Zeke, sometime between 585 – 573 BC. I have heard of God showing
his glory through us, and definitely showing his love through us to the people
around us. But this concept of showing his holiness through us struck and
amazed me.
The smoke on the afternoon horizon cleared my eyes.
At first all I saw was the thick column of black smoke. It
stood out so differently from the surrounding horizon. It caught my attention,
and I turned to watch it more. The smoke led my eye naturally down to the
source. Molten orange and crimson fire danced hypnotically in my sight, and the
smoke was forgotten. All I wanted was to stare into the Light.
Lord, help me to be smoke that stands out from the
surroundings and points to your Light.
What verse have you been thinking about this week?
