I am processing grief today. I just heard from my two kids that the father of their very closest friends has just been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. The news is really heavy!
As the tears spill over, the verse which just now “blink” popped into my mind is: “I look to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth!” – Psalm 121:1
Hubby and I were on a plane flying back from Southern California this past Sunday. The route up from Southern California follows along the Cascade Mountain Range. In between breaks in the clouds I was able to spot Mt. Bachelor (far right of photo), South Sister (upper-center of photo), Middle Sister (center of photo, with the small puff of clouds over its peak), and North Sister (far left of photo, almost hidden by clouds).
Further on there was Mt. Jefferson … and Mt. Hood.
Looking north, I could see the three upcoming peaks of my state: Mt. St. Helens (left, foreground of photo), Mt. Adams (right of photo), and of course Mt. Rainier (left, background).
As I gazed at this view, I was in awe of the deep deep blue of the sky as it stretched up towards outer space. Somewhere out there … out beyond our beautiful planet, is God … the God I worship, who made this earth I’m tied to.
God, who is above it all! … and over it all! He is outside and separate of it all … observing and watching all!
He is in total control of it all! He made it all!
The God I worship made those mountain peaks … which are mighty! … and majestic! … yet appear as nothing more than little white dots from up high. God made that! He is that big, and that powerful, and that amazing!
He is out there somewhere … in Heaven! And yet … He is here .. right here with me, right here in the airplane … and right here wherever I might be! My great God is with me!
Here you can see the view as we flew past Mt. St. Helens. We were directly west of Mt. St. Helens … and you can see how the mountain erupted to the north. It is clearly obvious how the mountain slid away, down and to the north. (that is Mt. Adams in the background)
Here is another view looking directly down on top of Mt. St. Helens. (this photo was from our flight down to Southern California) Have you ever wanted to look down into the crater of a semi-active volcano? Here you have it.
Liquid magma lies just below the surface of the earth. And yet it is contained. It stays there.
All of the peaks along the Cascade Mountain Range are volcanic … “pressure-release vents” for the liquid magma which lies contained just below the surface of the earth.
The God I worship holds that liquid magma back. The God I worship keeps the liquid magma contained, and under control … just below the surface of the earth. My God keeps the “pressure-release vents” closed.
That’s my God! He’s that powerful! He’s that strong!
And then we have Mt. Rainier. Compared to the other peaks in the Cascade Range, Mt. Rainier is an absolute beast!! It’s volcanic. It too is a “pressure-release vent” for liquid magma just below the surface of the earth. And … we do live on a fault line.
My God keeps that “pressure-release vent” closed. My God does that.
My God made that mountain. It’s an absolute beast! And my God made that! And my God is keeping it under control.
So what about the cancer?!?
What about the pain?!? What about the heartache?!?
God is in control.
The same God who made those mountains … and is keeping the “pressure-release vents” closed … is the same God who made the little finch birds who sit on their nest together.
He’s the same God who made the little chipmunk … and mushrooms … and tiny intricately-detailed “weed” flowers.
He’s the same God who gave individually unique camouflage to slugs … and to deer.
He’s the same God who made little fuzzy caterpillars … and is in control of their metamorphosis into beautiful butterflies.
That’s our God! He is in control! From the big, cataclysmic “eruptions” … to the tiny details. He cares! He knows! He sees! He is here … he is right here with us! And He is in complete control.
“I look to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth! He will not let your foot slip – He who watches over you will not slumber … nor sleep.
“The LORD watches over you – the LORD is your shade at your right hand; … He will watch over your life;
“The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” – Psalm 121
