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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
A Birds Eye View
July 12, 2005
Dear friends,
I looked out the window the other day and the sight took my
breath away. There were clouds dancing across the horizon
as far as I could see. The clear blue sky framed these free
floating islands and they seemed so solid that I was left
wondering if I could step off the plane and get lost in them.
To be soaring among the clouds is an incredible feeling. Is it
any wonder that birds are always singing their bright songs
of joy as they soar above the earth?
Every time I get on an airplane, I marvel at the fact that the
aircraft can actually get off the ground. As I was buckled in
and getting ready to return home from Denver, Colorado last
week, I thought about the fact that I would soon be soaring
higher that the tallest peak of the Rocky Mountains. I looked
around me and wondered how that could be possible. My
dad worked at Pratt & Whitney for nearly forty years and he
understands much more about lift and thrust than I ever
will. I made a note a note to ask him about it the next time
we talk. None-the-less, whether or not I understood the
intimate details of how flight was possible, the airplane still
made its way down the runway. In a matter of moments we
were rising to 10,000 feet and climbing. It was happening
and I was just along for the ride.
As I sat there looking out at the diminishing landscape
below, I realized that there were many things in life that I do
not understand and I take them for granted. How does a
baby grow out of the union of two cells that are merged
together in a mother’s womb? I had biology classes. Still,
every time I look into a baby’s face, my jaw drops at the
wonder of it all. Whenever I see a sunset and watch as the
sky lights up in hues or red and orange, I stand back and
just shake my head at the beauty of it all. Only God could
fashion such a display. Whenever I go to the zoo or the
aquarium and look at the crazy assortment of creatures that
we coexist with upon the earth, I stand in awe of God’s
creative power.
We live in a world where people try to understand
everything. Sometimes I wonder if we aren’t missing the
most important truth of all. In Chapter 38 of the book of Job,
God responds to all of Job’s questions about the way the
universe is set up. Job is frustrated and angry about the
things that have happened in his life and he wants to
understand why it has happened to him. So God leads Job
on a path of discovery that allows him to see the creation
through the eyes of the Creator. He lifts him above his
present circumstances and gives him the view from above
the clouds. The world looks different from up there.
If we want to know God better, maybe we need to slow down
and stop asking so many questions. When was the last time
you took a walk in the woods and bent down to look at the
world of activity that takes place in a rippling brook? When
was the last time you sat on your back porch and watched
the various birds come and go? When was the last time you
got up before dawn and watched the sun rise? If it has been
a while, then you need to take a day off and let God wow you
with his creation. You see, it is when we let go and let Him
take over that the beauty of this world suddenly comes into
focus. That’s what happened to me when I got on that
airplane. I knew I was no longer in control. So I sat back and
decided to enjoy the ride. What a ride it was!
So let go and let God show you the heights and depths and
wonders of his creation. You will be amazed.
God bless. See you in Church! Cal
July 12, 2005
Dear friends,
I looked out the window the other day and the sight took my
breath away. There were clouds dancing across the horizon
as far as I could see. The clear blue sky framed these free
floating islands and they seemed so solid that I was left
wondering if I could step off the plane and get lost in them.
To be soaring among the clouds is an incredible feeling. Is it
any wonder that birds are always singing their bright songs
of joy as they soar above the earth?
Every time I get on an airplane, I marvel at the fact that the
aircraft can actually get off the ground. As I was buckled in
and getting ready to return home from Denver, Colorado last
week, I thought about the fact that I would soon be soaring
higher that the tallest peak of the Rocky Mountains. I looked
around me and wondered how that could be possible. My
dad worked at Pratt & Whitney for nearly forty years and he
understands much more about lift and thrust than I ever
will. I made a note a note to ask him about it the next time
we talk. None-the-less, whether or not I understood the
intimate details of how flight was possible, the airplane still
made its way down the runway. In a matter of moments we
were rising to 10,000 feet and climbing. It was happening
and I was just along for the ride.
As I sat there looking out at the diminishing landscape
below, I realized that there were many things in life that I do
not understand and I take them for granted. How does a
baby grow out of the union of two cells that are merged
together in a mother’s womb? I had biology classes. Still,
every time I look into a baby’s face, my jaw drops at the
wonder of it all. Whenever I see a sunset and watch as the
sky lights up in hues or red and orange, I stand back and
just shake my head at the beauty of it all. Only God could
fashion such a display. Whenever I go to the zoo or the
aquarium and look at the crazy assortment of creatures that
we coexist with upon the earth, I stand in awe of God’s
creative power.
We live in a world where people try to understand
everything. Sometimes I wonder if we aren’t missing the
most important truth of all. In Chapter 38 of the book of Job,
God responds to all of Job’s questions about the way the
universe is set up. Job is frustrated and angry about the
things that have happened in his life and he wants to
understand why it has happened to him. So God leads Job
on a path of discovery that allows him to see the creation
through the eyes of the Creator. He lifts him above his
present circumstances and gives him the view from above
the clouds. The world looks different from up there.
If we want to know God better, maybe we need to slow down
and stop asking so many questions. When was the last time
you took a walk in the woods and bent down to look at the
world of activity that takes place in a rippling brook? When
was the last time you sat on your back porch and watched
the various birds come and go? When was the last time you
got up before dawn and watched the sun rise? If it has been
a while, then you need to take a day off and let God wow you
with his creation. You see, it is when we let go and let Him
take over that the beauty of this world suddenly comes into
focus. That’s what happened to me when I got on that
airplane. I knew I was no longer in control. So I sat back and
decided to enjoy the ride. What a ride it was!
So let go and let God show you the heights and depths and
wonders of his creation. You will be amazed.
God bless. See you in Church! Cal
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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