On the wings of the wind

In west Texas, the wind is a reality of daily life. Winter winds cut like a knife, encountering little resistance from topography or trees. Summer winds can feel like a blast furnace when combined with 100-degree temperatures. But spring....spring winds bring all kinds of things! Sometimes they come ahead of thunderstorms, other times leading one of those surprise cold fronts (isn't winter over?). Today they were steady all day, 30-40 mph. I complained and prepared for the great brown-ness that happens when Lubbock blows in to town. However, today God treated us to a beautiful show of his splendor all day long. It began with a beautiful sunrise.

The clouds swirled throughout the day in massive formations, moving, growing, reconfiguring moment by moment.

And then tonight -30 spectacular minutes of sunset, moonrise, and birdsong as the winds began to settle down for the night.

The psalmist who wrote Psalm 104 must have understood my plight. Physical metaphors and comparisons are insufficient, though he really tries!

Praise the LORD, my soul.

   LORD my God, you are very great; 

   you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

The LORD wraps himself in light as with a garment; 

   he stretches out the heavens like a tent 

   and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. 

He makes the clouds his chariot 

   and rides on the wings of the wind. 

He makes winds his messengers,

   flames of fire his servants. 

(Psalm 104:1-4, NIV)

Today, all I could do was stand in the presence of the One who rides on the wings of the wind, feel his messengers brush my cheeks and ruffle my hair, and cry, "Glory!"