It’s cloudy this morning. As the sun rises the thick cloud cover will break open to show the blue sky. This is typical for where I live and probably where you live as well. So, why write about something so ordinary? Because seeing God move the clouds is anything but ordinary!
The Holy Spirit has made it a point in Scriptures to tell us that when we see the clouds move across the sky we are seeing God in action. Meteorologists explain how what begin as moisture rising to form clouds on one part of the continent may generate into a massive storm system that will impact locations thousands of miles away. Scripture fills in the rest of the story:
The Lord does whatever pleases him
throughout all heaven and earth,
and on the seas and in their depths.
He causes the clouds to rise over the whole earth.
He sends the lightning with the rain
and releases the wind from his storehouses. (Psalm 135:6-7)
The clouds rise at his command. The water vapor can form into magnificent storms or become ever-changing, graceful works of art that capture our thoughts. It is God who fills clouds with water and lightning that can illuminate the night sky. The falling rain can be soothing and comforting. Or it can bring torrents of fear and devastation.
The clouds tell us about the power and wonder of God. They demonstrate the reason for the fear of God. They speak of his compassion and his wrath. Clouds are a constant reminder of the beauty and power of God. But when we become complacent it is possible to ignore this grand demonstration of his character. We long to hear from God, to see him show us his power. Through clouds, he does this every day, if only we have the courage to learn of him through the moving clouds. Job describes it this way:
At his direction they swirl around
over the face of the whole earth
to do whatever he commands them.
Clouds are God’s gift. They are a constant yet dynamic reminder of God’s faithfulness, his tenderness, his power, and his wrath. Through clouds, God speaks to us about who he is. May we have hearts full of worship and awe to listen well.