“God in the Big Pause” by Jana Marshall
As the world slows down…my body, mind, and heart follow. Seeing spring unfold in the midst of our uncertainty of the world around us, gives wings to my heavy feet. It lightens the step to see all nature pointing heavenward and seeing God’s mysteries opening before us.
It is odd that spring 2020 is coming earlier than it has been in over a century! And at the same, time we are faced with this very serious and historical time in our lives. I am calling this THE BIG PAUSE. This BIG PAUSE has brought a blanket of quietness over my life. I actually have time to think, to listen, to process, and to discover. The sounds of nature are not muted by my BUSY-ness.
My senses are keener to the signs of spring. I have a front-row seat to watching it unfold before me. The vibrant colors seem to be calling my emotions to be grateful and ponder their beauty…while this world seems so crazed. As I watch spring bloom from brown, bare, dead-looking twigs…I am reminded that what is hidden one day will be made visible. Beauty does come from the ash.
In watching this, I think about the many things at work in our world that I do not see until they bloom. For example the mystery of how a seed can germinate to a tree! I was reading a devotion this week that pointed to this very idea: “In Mark 4:26-29, Jesus said the farmer participates in a process he cannot comprehend. Although the farmer sows the seed…The process happens “by itself”. Just as God programmed seeds to sprout by themselves, (how we do not know), so He does the same with His plan that may seem delayed.”
God’s plan is progressing in spite of what we do not see or understand. In our world where seeing is believing, watching this spring unfold encourages me to be patient and persistent in faith… knowing what seems hidden will one day be visible. My hope is that you too will see the goodness of God in this BIG PAUSE!
“This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain — first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.” Mark 4:26-28 NIV
Written by Jana Marshall ~
Jana and her late husband Bob made Huntsville home in 2005 where Bob retired after 22 years of service in the USMC. Bob received his wings to be with Jesus in Heaven on April 20, 2019. At the onset of the diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer in October 2017, Bob’s response was, “This is simply a change in ministry for us.” At that point, Jana began to write from the place of pain seeing that God uses all of who we are to minister to others. With that in mind, Jana is fueled to minister to others who are dealing with loss and to use their story to encourage and draw others to Christ. Bob’s departure was the ultimate deployment, but he leaves behind a legacy of goodness through their two children, Sam and Carolyn. Jana is humbled and counts it a great privilege to be able to share their story and see how God uses it to His glory.
Everyday Jana prays “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” Psalm 143:8 NIV
There are days He directs Jana to write and she finds great joy in sharing how the Lord meets her and reminds her of His unfailing love.
2 Comments
I see it. God will pause all until we all get to see the light.
Beautiful Jana. Keep writing & believing one day at a time.