Every spring we have one of those days. Out of nowhere, the temperature drops and we get a great storm with hail.
The kids love it but I cringe at the thought of our fragile flowers being pelted by the ice.
This year it was the bluebells that were still standing, the lilacs and my gorgeous pink dogwood blooms. The hail crashed down so hard, I figured the petals would be scattered all over the ground by the time it ended.
Somehow they withstood the beating.
My son danced around in the rain and hail and kicked in the puddles. He’s turning eight this Saturday, how much longer will he do that? So I video taped him.
With my camera out, I felt the nudge to snap pictures of the storm and the aftermath. Why did I think it was beautiful? This pelting of fragile flowers?
As I was looking at the pictures afterward, a scripture came to mind that I had been thinking on lately.
It’s a scripture from Isaiah in which God speaks to His people about their futile idolatry. He has harsh words for them. But we also see His mercy. This is the kind of God we have:
And it shall be said,
“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
remove every obstruction from my people’s way.”
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly,
and to revive the heart of the contrite. (Isaiah 57:14-15)
Do you feel lowly and contrite today?
I happen to think that is a good thing to feel as a Christian.
Humble and sorrowful over our sin. Not sorrowful of life. I am filled with joy about my life and over what Jesus has done. That He has taken the punishment for my sin. My sin has been atoned for. I am not shameful or filled with guilt. But the bible is clear that we do still sin and we should have a godly sorrow for that and desire change. I am regretful of how I often live this life. Over the patterns of sin in my life.
And even in this…in this sorrow over sin…I find joy and beauty in the fact that I have a God who blesses those who are of this spirit.
That moment when I turn to Him after a time or in the midst of a season of wrong thinking. That Aha! moment that I can boldly approach the throne of grace.
That even though He lives in a high and lofty place…
He ALSO lives with those who are bowed down low in recognition of the sin that plays out each day in our lives.
And He lives with us to revive our spirits and our hearts.
This is the beautiful Christian walk.
A continual turning to Him even in the midst of our sin. Him reviving us. Every day. Redeeming and healing every aspect of our lives as we trust and turn toward Him.
So there is some beauty in the flowers on the ground. They are beautiful in their lowly state even though they are on the ground. And the flowers still on the tree are more beautiful than ever after that rain. They continue to reach out for the sun and receive the life-giving source.
Blessings to you as you continue to turn toward the One who gives life.
Linking up with these sweet ladies this week:
Love the pic flowered tree! What kind is it?
It’s a pink dogwood! Pretty isn’t it? I only wish the blooms stayed around longer…Thanks for stopping by!
“Him reviving us.” Yes. I need His reviving. Love your pictures.
Like…everyday right? Thanks for the compliments on my pictures…and for stopping by!
Beautiful. Both the pictures & the words. I love the imagery of being pelted with hard ice and not only surviving, but the beauty that shines forth.
This life does feel like hard ice pelting us doesn’t it? But we do survive thanks to His care. Thanks for stopping by here!
What hit me as I read your post & saw your photos was this…the joy on your son’s face. When our God meets us in the midst of our storms, we experience such joy from receiving His strength & grace & mercy. Precious thoughts you have shared! Visiting you today from Fellowship Fridays.
Yes…I thought that face was perfect for how we should respond to His grace. Sometimes I take it for granted. But my face…should be like this! Blessings to you and thanks for stopping by…
What great meaning in this post! The pics were so vivid. Have a great weekend!
Yes…we could probably explore this much more…lots of meaning…to little time! Thank you for visiting and taking time to comment. Blessings to you…
I love this post it blessed me very much, I hope you have a very blessed day
Thank you for stopping by and sharing that it blessed you!
Amy what a unique way of framing the storms and our spiritual walks. May we always be be looking up unto the Savior. Have a great week.
Hmmm… So I think God is trying to tell me something, Amy. I LITERALLY just read that scripture about 3 minutes ago during my daily bible reading before logging on the computer. Looks like He is calling me to dig a bit deeper in this area.
So thankful he revives us when we feel weak, weary and beaten down by our own hailstorms of life. Thanks for sharing these awesome words over at #EverydayJesus. You rock. 🙂
Wooo…that is interesting! So I’m a bit behind in responding to my comments this week but…I do hope that you delved deeper into that scripture! Thanks for stopping by and for encouraging…Blessings…Amy
Lovely pictures to go with your words! I am thankful that we can turn to the Lord always, in our human frailty, and He is faithful to restore us.
Yes–we can boldly approach the throne of grace! Thanks for visiting…
Hi Amy! Just stopping by from the Weekend Brew. Have a great Sunday. Many blessings! Cathy
Thank you for visiting from the Weekend Brew!
So happy to be next to you at Janis’ s this week. Everything about this post was lovely! The scriptures, your photos, your thoughts were all a blessing to me.
Thank you for visiting and encouraging!
TAKE CARE
If you are in
The Lord, and sin,
you stand no chance,
to vine a branch.
Sorry. The feeling of the denique is not right, since “chance” and “branch” do not rhyme, really. Blame it on my poor English. I had to rewrite the poem, and now it goes like this:
TAKE CARE
If you are in
The Lord, and sin,
you are not fine,
branch to the vine.
Thank you for stopping by and sharing your poetry in my comments! I must say that is a first for me! Blessings to you in your rhyming!
Seems like here also. Spring with snow:)
Well, my flowers are still alive.
yes, it is like the beauty of our Christian walk, we can be attacked by all kinds of storms in life, but with God, we can stand tall and remained beautiful:)
As you continue to do! Blessings and thanks for visiting, Joy!
Hi Amy,
great photos and such comforting truth about God…thanks…linked behind you at SDG 🙂
Nice visiting this week, Dolly. Thanks for stopping by…
I feel like those flowers on the ground lately. Thank you for reminding me to turn to God in my sin and remember His blessings and what He has done for me.
Hey-I’m feeling like those flowers tonight and I need to believe what I wrote here! Blessings to you as you turn…and thanks for visiting…
I love when God opens our eyes to see the lessons right in front of us through nature and people around us and everyday, “common” things. Thanks for sharing your reflections.
It is the way He tends to teach me things! Mostly through nature and my children!
Beautiful flowers, beautiful words. I welcome the Spring rain in my life.
Thanks Barbie…I too welcome the rain…even the storms and hail!
Love the photos of your smiling son! My kids too love to play in the rain. Glad you didn’t lose the dogwood blossoms – they are gorgeous!
Thanks…thanks for visiting!
What a perspective redemption and grace give us, yes? I love how you’ve let what could be seen as ash become beauty, friend.
Thanks for linking with Unforced Rhythms this week.
Thank you for your link-up, Kelli…it’s great being there!
Wonderful Thriving at Home post. Thank you
Thank you for visiting, Wendy…
Such a lovely picture of grace, and God’s faithfulness and goodness here. Love it.
Thank you for visiting and encouraging! Blessings to you…