He's Coming!

      I am standing at my host stand at California Pizza Kitchen, bored out of my mind.  Two customers have come in within the past twenty minutes, and all I can do is sit there and wait for more.  Maybe clean the windows and bathrooms.  Basically, that’s what I get paid to do.  Most of the time it feels pretty insignificant. 

      So there I am, standing in front of the glass doors that lead to our restaurant.  I look around at the outlet mall that is facing me from across the street.  Suddenly, I notice a pink light shining on the buildings.  I look out every window from every angle, and all I can see are pink, orange and yellow hues and glows reflected off Old Navy, Starbucks and more.  It doesn’t take a genius to realize that this light is coming from the sun.  But for the life of me, I can’t find it.  This becomes an obsession, and I make excuses to walk around the restaurant and look out the other windows - to no avail, of course.  I am very discouraged just imagining what a beautiful sunset I am missing.

      Then an analogy comes to mind.  I assume without thought that the beautiful sunset is there, even though I can’t see it.  In the same way, I can’t see the Son despite the aching in my heart to see Him.  Yet I can see evidence of Him in creation.  From the complex DNA and atoms swirling around our intricately designed bodies, to the magnificent canyons, rolling tides, mountains, valleys, stars, and of course - sunsets.  Creation will never fully satisfy my longings, but it’s a gift to hold me over during this short life on earth.  It’s my Lord saying, “I am coming soon.  Hold on to what you have…” Revelation 3:11.  He goes on to say, “Behold, I am coming soon!” at least four more times in the book of Revelation.  I am so thankful for His handiwork, a small taste of the riches that we will see in Heaven!  This psalmist’s marvelous description of creation echoes my thoughts completely:      

Psalm 104
Bless the Lord, O my soul!

O Lord my God, you are very great!

You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

2 covering yourself with light as with a garment,

stretching out the heavens like a tent.

3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;

he makes the clouds his chariot;

he rides on the wings of the wind;

4 he makes his messengers winds,

his ministers a flaming fire.

5 He set the earth on its foundations,

so that it should never be moved.

6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;

the waters stood above the mountains.

7 At your rebuke they fled;

at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.

8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down

to the place that you appointed for them.

9 You set a boundary that they may not pass,

so that they might not again cover the earth.

10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys;

they flow between the hills;

11 they give drink to every beast of the field;

the wild donkeys quench their thirst.

12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;

they sing among the branches.

13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains;

the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock

and plants for man to cultivate,

that he may bring forth food from the earth

15 and wine to gladden the heart of man,

oil to make his face shine

and bread to strengthen man’s heart.

16 The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,

the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

17 In them the birds build their nests;

the stork has her home in the fir trees.

18 The high mountains are for the wild goats;

the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.

19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;

the sun knows its time for setting.

20 You make darkness, and it is night,

when all the beasts of the forest creep about.

21 The young lions roar for their prey,

seeking their food from God.

22 When the sun rises, they steal away

and lie down in their dens.

23 Man goes out to his work

and to his labor until the evening.

24 O Lord, how manifold are your works!

In wisdom have you made them all;

the earth is full of your creatures.

25 Here is the sea, great and wide,

which teems with creatures innumerable,

living things both small and great.

26 There go the ships,

and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.

27 These all look to you,

to give them their food in due season.

28 When you give it to them, they gather it up;

when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed;

when you take away their breath, they die

and return to their dust.

30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,

and you renew the face of the ground.

31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever;

may the Lord rejoice in his works,

32 who looks on the earth and it trembles,

who touches the mountains and they smoke!

33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;

I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,

for I rejoice in the Lord.

35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth,

and let the wicked be no more!

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Praise the Lord!