Near Zero Visibility
Near Zero Visibility
Last week I checked a major item off my bucket list: I rode a dog sled! It was an incredible experience as I slid across the frozen lake on the border of the Boundary Waters up on the Gunflint Trail.
As I looked around to take it all in, there was a sense of clarity that came over me. The bright white snow, the deep evergreen trees and the perfect blue sky were amazing to admire as the dogs pulled in synchronized stride.
Nothing could contrast this experience more than the drive home.
As I drove down 35 through Duluth we had about 50 feet of visibility as we trudged through a think, soupy, fog. The temperature had dropped quickly and rain had been falling for a few hours. This combination caused some of the most dense fog I’ve ever driven through.
The only other time I’d experienced fog this bad was in the mountains in Tennessee in the middle of the night. I was with a group driving from Florida to Minnesota and as dawn came we were all glad to still be alive.
In both scenarios, there was a prominent contrast within a few hours of time. Beautiful frozen north shore to thick wet soupy fog. Palm trees and ocean breeze to near zero visibility on mountain roads.
When I hear the words of Jesus, it’s as though there is blue sky clarity as he speaks:
The Kingdom of God is among you.
Repent and believe for the Kingdom of God is near.
But as I step outside into the world that we currently inhabit, I feel like this dense fog comes in from every direction.
What seemed clear – is now hazy. What overwhelmed me with sharp detail – is now a fog.
Theologian Matt Woodley writes that the Kingdom of God is breaking into our world all around us in profound ways. However, our enemy, Satan, has a way of keeping us from seeing clearly what God is doing. He says this:
In Satan’s soupy fog we get confused and disoriented, our head spins, our heart gets twisted and our lives take the plunge into apparent godforsakenness.
There are days when I see the Kingdom as clear as white snow covering beautiful evergreens. Wrongs are made right, the hungry are fed, the broken are healed and those in bondage are set free.
But then there are days when I am just hoping there isn’t anything on the foggy road ahead that could cause my vehicle to head straight into the ditch. A young mother my age with a terrible lung disease – a set of twins in the womb, now down to one – my mentee telling stories of murder in her back yard – the crippling temptation of sin around every corner.
How I long for the day when the fog is lifted, when the enemy is rendered useless in his soupy haze schemes. But in the mean time, we are in desperate need of light that cuts through the fog and the haze. A beam that could give us just a bit more clarity on the road before us.
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. -Jesus
Jesus, the Light of the World, is WITH us. He is Emmanuel, which means “the with-us God”. The beam of light that cuts through the fog when we walk with Jesus is just what we need to be able to see the Kingdom in our midst. So even with near zero visibility, we can have the chance to see God move and tell the story.
Let’s pray for the day the fog is lifted, but until then, be thankful that WITH us, we have the Light of the World.
In his love and mercy, Jesus Immanuel walked into our fog. It swirled around him and threatened to destroy him, as it does every other human being. But unlike Israel, unlike Adam and Eve, unlike you and me, Jesus never lost his footing. The fog didn’t engulf him. By trusting his Father’s love and goodness in the midst of howling temptation, Jesus showed us how to walk through Satan’s soupy fog. As the fog-bearer and the fog-defeater, the triune God invites us with reassuring words: “Take my hand. Trust me. I’ve been through the fog. And I know how to lead you out of it. – Matt Woodley
Near Zero Visibility
Last week I checked a major item off my bucket list: I rode a dog sled! It was an incredible experience as I slid across the frozen lake on the border of the Boundary Waters up on the Gunflint Trail.
As I looked around to take it all in, there was a sense of clarity that came over me. The bright white snow, the deep evergreen trees and the perfect blue sky were amazing to admire as the dogs pulled in synchronized stride.
Nothing could contrast this experience more than the drive home.
As I drove down 35 through Duluth we had about 50 feet of visibility as we trudged through a think, soupy, fog. The temperature had dropped quickly and rain had been falling for a few hours. This combination caused some of the most dense fog I’ve ever driven through.
The only other time I’d experienced fog this bad was in the mountains in Tennessee in the middle of the night. I was with a group driving from Florida to Minnesota and as dawn came we were all glad to still be alive.
In both scenarios, there was a prominent contrast within a few hours of time. Beautiful frozen north shore to thick wet soupy fog. Palm trees and ocean breeze to near zero visibility on mountain roads.
When I hear the words of Jesus, it’s as though there is blue sky clarity as he speaks:
The Kingdom of God is among you.
Repent and believe for the Kingdom of God is near.
But as I step outside into the world that we currently inhabit, I feel like this dense fog comes in from every direction.
What seemed clear – is now hazy. What overwhelmed me with sharp detail – is now a fog.
Theologian Matt Woodley writes that the Kingdom of God is breaking into our world all around us in profound ways. However, our enemy, Satan, has a way of keeping us from seeing clearly what God is doing. He says this:
In Satan’s soupy fog we get confused and disoriented, our head spins, our heart gets twisted and our lives take the plunge into apparent godforsakenness.
There are days when I see the Kingdom as clear as white snow covering beautiful evergreens. Wrongs are made right, the hungry are fed, the broken are healed and those in bondage are set free.
But then there are days when I am just hoping there isn’t anything on the foggy road ahead that could cause my vehicle to head straight into the ditch. A young mother my age with a terrible lung disease – a set of twins in the womb, now down to one – my mentee telling stories of murder in her back yard – the crippling temptation of sin around every corner.
How I long for the day when the fog is lifted, when the enemy is rendered useless in his soupy haze schemes. But in the mean time, we are in desperate need of light that cuts through the fog and the haze. A beam that could give us just a bit more clarity on the road before us.
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. -Jesus
Jesus, the Light of the World, is WITH us. He is Emmanuel, which means “the with-us God”. The beam of light that cuts through the fog when we walk with Jesus is just what we need to be able to see the Kingdom in our midst. So even with near zero visibility, we can have the chance to see God move and tell the story.
Let’s pray for the day the fog is lifted, but until then, be thankful that WITH us, we have the Light of the World.
In his love and mercy, Jesus Immanuel walked into our fog. It swirled around him and threatened to destroy him, as it does every other human being. But unlike Israel, unlike Adam and Eve, unlike you and me, Jesus never lost his footing. The fog didn’t engulf him. By trusting his Father’s love and goodness in the midst of howling temptation, Jesus showed us how to walk through Satan’s soupy fog. As the fog-bearer and the fog-defeater, the triune God invites us with reassuring words: “Take my hand. Trust me. I’ve been through the fog. And I know how to lead you out of it. – Matt Woodley
Wow Steph, this blog post really moved me today. It was just the uplifting I needed with all the stuff we are dealing with in our family. Thank you for the encouragement! I am praying for our fog to be lifted. God bless you!
Hill,
I am praying for you guys as well!
Love you and your family!