[Thursday's Devotional] - The Wind of His Presence

I heard a flying analogy recently, "You can't change the weather conditions or the landscape, but you can adjust your altitude". I am learning to adjust my altitude, to see the Lord's perspective on my job, my home, my family and my future. I think sometimes we look through binoculars - the wrong way round! - while God looks through a telescope. We just don't think big enough, we may not see the bigger picture but we should think big, he wants us to.

"God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us." Ephesians 3:20-21 [Message]

In the midst of my storm God is stirring up a wind of change and I'm watching that mulberry tree and waiting. While I am waiting, I know God is preparing me for the adventure ahead.

I have just started reading a book called "The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven" it is the true story of an ordinary boy's most extraordinary journey. In 2004, Kevin Malarkey and his 6 year old son, Alex, suffered an horrific car accident. The impact from the crash paralysed Alex and, medically speaking, it was unlikely that he could survive but two months later, Alex awoke from a coma. He tells his incredible story of events at the accident scene and in the hospital while he was unconscious, of the angels that took him through the gates of heaven itself and of meeting and talking to Jesus.

I was reading this book down by the riverside one lunchtime and Alex tells how he saw five angels lift his dad from the car, he then saw those same five angels in heaven. God reminded me of my motorbike accident 5 years ago, I sat unharmed on a grass verge by Mr Kipling Island (you Rugby folk will know the place) as I watched a motorcycle being dragged up the dual carriageway mangled beneath the wheels of a juggernaut, it took me some time to comprehend that a lorry had just ploughed into the back of me and the bike was mine. I would relay the story to friends at church and work alike saying 'I swear a big ol' angel just lifted me off my bike and sat me on the grass', some folk would laugh at what they thought was my humour, yet I would repeat in all seriousness 'I swear a big ol' angel just lifted me off my bike and sat me on the grass'.

The book concludes "As you see heaven and earth through Alex's eyes, you'll come away with new insights on miracles, life beyond this world, and the power of a father's love". I agree with this statement, however, I would add that when we spend time in the wind of His presence we obtain a glimpse through our heavenly fathers eyes and become excited that, for the 'here and now' and for the 'here after', we are made for so much more than just the things of this world.

Dawn Milward