Be Snow and Know That I Am God
Snow prompts a wide array of reactions from those us on whom it rarely falls. Some laugh and clap their hands, while others groan and hang their heads. I recommend trying to like it as well as you can, because when God says to his heavenly storehouses, “Fall to the earth,” it falls, whether we find it magical or miserable. (Job 37:6, 38:22)
God gave the command last week, and depending where you live, it resulted in one of the heavier doses of snow our area has received. Wednesday here at the church, Pastor Ryan Aufenkamp and I watched the flakes swirling heavily and soon made the call to cancel Youth Group and Life Group that night. That proved to be a wise call. By next morning the church parking lot was impassable without four-wheel drive.
The graveside and memorial service for Louis Schwartzenberger was scheduled for Thursday afternoon, so on my way to church that morning I drove to the cemetery to see what the prospects were. One look and it was immediately obvious the burial would not be happening that day. The whole place was an unbroken field of white and it was impossible to see where the lanes went, let alone find a specific gravesite. We quickly made plans to do the services this Thursday instead.
Personally, I find snow magical and I delighted to watch the drifts pile up as I hunkered close to the woodstove. But what really impressed me was how easily God can make us all stop what we are doing. One moment we were all busily going about our business, and then God said, “I’m going to clear your calendars and have you all sit still for few days.”
Snow storms are a chance to remember our total dependence on God, and that only if the Lord wills will we live and do this or that. (James 4:15) The howling blizzard is an apt picture of our world, yet we need not fear because God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1) In the midst of chaos, God calls us to be still and know that he is God. (Psalm 46:10) Snow is simply one of his prettier ways to underscore his call.
Pastor Toby
Categories: Evergreen Connection