Battle in the Sky

I love clouds. Their endless variations and movements fascinate me. And sometimes startle me.

Like this time.

The other day, as I watching the clouds through the back seat window of a car while traveling along some mountain roads in Virginia, two clouds took on a significance I rarely feel.

One cloud looked to me like a serpent. I could see deadly determination in its eyes. It looked like it was on a war path towards a second, smaller cloud.

Interesting, I thought.

I looked at the second cloud – and saw a bird’s head with fierce eyes rising to meet the serpent, its mouth open in a challenging scream.

My heart jolted for some reason as I recognized the bird. It was an eagle.

Wait… an eagle facing a serpent… in the sky…

It’s a battle!

And then I knew what I was seeing. There is a spiritual battle over our country. An intense, to the death, battle being waged in the spiritual realm between good and evil. Satan is attacking with every he’s got, and America is rising up to fight the onslaught.

The feeling of this revelation was so intense that I can still feel it today. I believe God is telling us a few things.

We can’t get so wrapped up in what we see that we ignore where the real battle is.

We need to pray. And fast if He calls you to that. We need to listen to our real Commander-in-Chief.

We need to stand up to evil wherever it’s found.

We need to fight as Paul directed – using spiritual weapons against the spiritual enemy – or the eagle will be consumed by the serpent.

And no one wants that.

No one.


Joshua 5:13-15 As Joshua was sizing up the city of Jericho, a man appeared nearby with a drawn sword. Joshua strode over to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?” “I am the Commander-in-Chief of the Lord’s army,” he replied. Joshua fell to the ground before him and worshipped him and said, “Give me your commands.” “Take off your shoes,” the Commander told him, “for this is holy ground.” And Joshua did.

Clouds

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Clouds are amazing! So many tiny droplets of water moving across the sky powered by the wind!  Clouds continually change shape and will eventually disappear as the droplets fall back to earth. But before they do, the people who watch them are filled with fascination and wonder.

 

 

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Just like life.

 

So many moments moving across time powered by the breath of God! Our lives continually change shape and eventually disappear as we return to the dust from which we were made. But while we are here, if we take the time to really look, our lives are just as fascinating.

 

What is life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:14

Life is Like a Beach, section 5: Sky

The following is part of a book I would like to publish someday. It’s too long to blog as one post so I’m breaking it up section by section.  Each section can be read as a stand-alone, and hopefully my analogies will provide food for thought as well as encouragement to keep on going no matter where you find yourself in life.  I’ve added links  at the end to the previous sections to make them easier to find should you want to read them. Oh, and all photos were taken by me and are untouched other than cropping when necessary. God’s creation is so awesome just the way it is!

Sky

I love looking at the sky when I’m at the beach. It seems no two days are the same. From bright blue with ever changing clouds…

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to gray overcast…

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to stormy with a chance of a rainbow,

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each day’s sky has its own fascination. Even distant storms! And those sunrises and sunsets are too beautiful for words!

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Life is the same way. No two days are exactly the same, even if they are similar. And no matter how our day is going, we can find beauty in it if we try. Though I have to say that it’s much easier on some days than others. In any case, to see the beauty, it helps to look up, up to the God who made it all.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11

Previous sections:

Section 1: The Path

Section 2: Red Flags

Section 3: Water

Section 4: Waves

Love in the Sky

Head down, she walked outside. Not one of her better days. She needed some time with God but He seemed to be quiet recently so she wasn’t expecting much.

She had begun standing on her back deck for a few minutes each morning for her quiet time, looking up into the sky at her invisible Father and asking for His blessing on her day. It had been working well enough – her family had not interfered – but lately it had seemed more of an exercise than an intimate moment with Him. Why was He so quiet sometimes?

On this morning, she spent a few minutes with her eyes closed, just trying to be in His presence. Nothing. Giving up, she looked up to ask His blessing when she saw a cloud. Just one cloud. A white, heart shaped cloud in a wide blue expanse. And she heard, “I love you.” So quiet, so gentle.

Her heart overflowed with love and gratitude. “I love you, too.” she responded as she gazed at the cloud until it had dissipated.  Then she went inside, carrying that amazing touch of love with her, to begin her day.

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