Seeing God: Post 2

 

Apple iPhone 6s
iPhone 6s back camera 4.15mm
f/2.2
1/230 sec
ISO-100

On the shores of Lake McDonald. I think words along with a photograph tell a complete story. In this picture, the sunrise is the most beautiful one I ever experience in my fifty years. However, what you as the viewer may not realize is we went through a lengthy list of coincidences and planning to experience this incredible sunrise. Let’s start with, this is our first ever visit to Glacier National Park. Next, previous to this day we awake in the predawn hours of 4 am on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and another Friday with uneventful results in capturing a sunrise. On multiple days we brave 25-30 mile per hour predawn winds with bone chilling temperatures in the lower 40’s. Melody chases me around as I try finding the perfect photographic spot, with some misses like not getting an object in the foreground. Me trying to figure out the right camera settings on my new DSLR camera, again with some misses.

And finally, this morning. On the night before, we were feeling iffy regarding driving back into the park from Kalispell on our last day since the trip adds another two hours driving time when we return to Missoula. At 3:30 am I wake without the alarm clock going off, a good sign but I notice I am lukewarm in my motivation. Melody notices too but encourages us to go. We go.

After driving forty-five minutes and entering the park around 5 am, the road hugs the fifteen-mile lake and I see predawn reflections in the water; probably the first time all week the lake is calm. As I drive, from experience, I see the potential of a spectacular sunrise due to a break in the clouds on the horizon and overhead. I suddenly decide to pull over. I rush out of the car leaving Melody behind and make my way down a steep ledge and through some trees to the lakeshore. I set my camera up. I swat some mosquitoes away, actually many mosquitoes. Oops I forgot the bug spray.

Minutes later, I see the first traces of pink in the sky and quickly go get Melody out of the car to come join me. I carefully help her down the slick dirt slope. Within moments, we see more faint glimpses of color; and then, in one brief second, God turns on His bedroom light to greet the day. Wow! The sky fills with pinks, reds, yellows and oranges. And then, WHOA, the most intense orange sunrays illuminate the sky like a flashlight!!! We just sit there with our mouths open wide. The intensity continues to ramp up. We hear multiple people stop their cars, jump out, scurry down to the shoreline and ooo and aww in amazement! In less than five minutes the display is over.

I sometimes wonder if this is a glimpse of how God rewards the faithful. Maybe He too wants to see the desire for us to experience Him but not unless we are able to rise at 3:30 am. Not unless we brave bone chilling cold. Not unless we persist in coming to Him every day. And yes, sometimes, not unless we are willing to fight off the mosquitoes.

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM
f/22
1/25 sec
ISO-3200
Tripod

Seeing God: Post 1

A still dusk behind the Turret Arch moves me to photograph this scene. Among the hue of orange and red rocks, the sky is drawing me in. The color of God's handiwork, so unimaginative yet so mesmerizing. There are no hard transitions between the orange, yellow and blue, and as all artists know this is the most challenging aspect of any art, the blending. And yet here before me, the perfection of a blend.

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM

f/5

1/60 sec

ISO-100

Tripod

Where is my Reverence?

2/20/16…Monday morning my shovel pushes the powdery snow to the edge of our driveway. Back and forth I go. Snow falls. Cold nips my cheeks. Sweat forms on my back. I pause. In the still of the morning, I gaze around. Why does quiet sound so different when snow is falling? There is a stillness in the air and yet the snowflakes quietly whisper as they descend. And then a thought, maybe it is the whisper of a snowflake, enters into my head. My problem is not my relationship with God, my problem is my reverence to my God. I pause my shovel. All those days stuck in Job and rereading the same passages over and over come rushing back to me.

After losing everything including his health, Job’s friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar come to mourn with him and give him comfort. For seven days and seven nights they remain silent and grieve with Job. Then Job finally speaks of his misery. And his friends feel compelled to offer advice. First is Eliphaz. He tells Job the form of a spirit came before him and spoke words of which he offers to Job. Eliphaz conveys to Job his issue is unresolved sin, and God is chastening him for his sin. Bildad adds Job’s confessions are not in earnest nor his supplications towards God. If they were, God would already have restored Job. Zophar offers Job is hiding his iniquities and not bringing them to the Light.

Like counterpunches, Job provides thoughts back to his friends, mostly chastising them for their accusations. Eliphaz answers. Job’s knowledge is puffing him up and causing him not to listen to his friends. Bildad counters and asks how dare Job think they are stupid. It is Job’s wickedness which has brought all this upon himself. Zophar accuses Job of being a hypocrite and haughty. Bildad chimes in and asks how Job can really discern whether he himself is righteous. Finally, after Job gives a final discourse, his three friends give up because Job is righteous in his own eyes.

Elihu, remaining quiet the whole time finally erupts. He is years younger than everyone else. He tells the spirit within him compels him to offer words. He declares himself a spokesman before God. He lets Job know he will teach him wisdom. To Job, he offers God would not do anything to Job unless Job had committed iniquities. Further Job is without knowledge and wisdom, so he does not speak truth. Added to this, Job is also rebelling against God.

Herein lies the problem from Job and all his friends. Through 37 chapters. Through all the questioning. Through all the advice, insight and perspective. Through all the debate. The truth is no one spoke truth.

Beginning in chapter 38 God answers Job. Not regarding why his oxen and donkeys were stolen, his servants killed, his sheep and servants burned, his camels stolen, his sons and daughters killed, and his body infected with boils from head to toe.

God’s answer to Job’s condition is this.

Where is your reverence…