God's Waterfall
The morning was crisp with just a hint of the oncoming winter. Leaves scuttled across the yard in the ebb and flow of the wind. The world seemed to be holding its breath as it waited for the first warming rays of the sun to break over the mountains. Slipping on a jacket, she stepped out into the cool morning, sipping her hot tea and settled to watch the break of day.
At first glance she thought there must be fresh snow fall on the mountain peaks. They appeared white in the distance. As the sun slowly lightened the sky and peeked over the crest she saw the clouds were low--hugging the mountain. Not that the sky was filled with clouds, but the low flying fluff had settled on the peaks--sensuously slipping over the peaks to flow down the slopes. As one cloud would dissipate, another would build and slide over the peaks again as the morning sun warmed them, sparkling a brilliant white against the breaking of night and the mountains took shape in the light. Watching the beauty before her, the clouds gentle movement, their ebb and flow, reminded her of a water fall.
The quiet of the morning filled her with peace . . . and awe. Watching the gentle caress of the clouds on the mountains with the sun shining through helped her to feel wonder again. As she watched her part of the world awaken, she could hear the stirrings of her child inside the house. He padded out the door, his favorite blanket in hand and a dog at his heels, to join her. Crawling into her lap, he snuggled in as she wrapped him in the blanket--settling in the safety and warmth of her arms in the morning chill.
Pointing at the clouds pouring over the mountains he murmured "water mommy" as he watched in wide-eyed wonder. Drawing him closer, she whispered to him that God was hugging the mountains, holding them close as they woke for the new day.
"Like me?" he asked.
"Like you" she affirmed. "God loves the earth and is cuddling it, like mommy loves and cuddles you."
Watching the morning begin, they felt the peace of the world, the love of God, and God's presence in the quiet waking of the day. Soon--too soon--the activity of their lives would press in upon them, but for these few, quiet moments they sat together and beheld the infinite beauty of God's mountain waterfall.
Our lives are filled with a cacophony of sound, people, and intrusions in our lives. Our moments are filled with distractions, constant demands upon our time and attention. We rush from one activity to the next, from one place to the next, from one person to the next. Computers, televisions, phones, and other devices demand our attention and we lose sight of creation--of the beauty around us in our rush to get through the day. The busyness prevents us from taking time to pause, to wonder, to observe God's care and provision for us. We miss the beauty of a sunset or a butterfly on a blossom; a rainbow filling the sky with color or a cleansing rain. We rush past and fail to see the miracle of our earth and take for granted the delicate balance of life.
Sometimes, we simply need to slow down and listen for God in the rustling wind. We need to stop to see God in the colors dancing across the sky as the sun rises and sets. Or maybe we need to feel the embrace of God through the arms of another human being. We need to take a breath, pause, and look for God's incredible care for us . . . and our planet. Who knows, maybe we will see God's waterfall.
We confess our creator and giver of life that we forget you in the hustle and bustle of life. We fail to see you when you reveal yourself to us in spectacular beauty. We fail to listen for your quiet voice. Help us to pause, to take time to listen, to watch, and to reflect upon the marvel of your care for us. Help us to open our eyes and ears so that we see you, and hear you speaking in our hearts. So be it. Amen.
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