Spring Flowers and Cloudy Days

I started my Sunday out today with a lovely morning walk along the river. It was sunny when I started out, and I reveled in God's glory revealed in all the spring flowers. There were lilies of the valley, sweet william, honeysuckle, and a few scattered late bluebells.

As I walked, I noticed that several gorgeous patches of flowers had a backdrop of broken trees from our late snowstorm in May. The juxtaposition of brokenness with beauty struck me as an apt metaphor for my recent struggles to understand how human suffering can coexist with God's deep love and mighty power.

Today, I was really struck by God's omnipotence in both the destruction and the beauty. God's power is displayed in nature's storms and rebirth. He is in control of all things. Yes, even that. Even those things which make us cringe in pain to consider! Even those things in life which frustrate us to no end! They are in His hands.

In Psalm 31, the writer (presumed to be David) speaks of grief, distress, and terror. To all of that, this same Psalmist responds (vv. 14-15a), "But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, 'You are my God!' My future is in your hands."

And what a future He promises! In Revelation 21:3b-4, God promises that He, "God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

In all things God is sovereign. And there will come a day when human suffering will end. When we are in anguish, we can hold on to that. When we question, "Where is God?!!" the answer is: He's with us. He loves us. And we can trust Him in His glory and His power. In our joy and in our pain. In storm-broken trees and sun-kissed flowers.