Peek-a-boo Sun

The sun glows golden in the fall. The warmth we hid from all summer is now welcomed like a long-lost friend.
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On cloudy days, we look eagerly for it as it plays peek-a-boo in the sky and when it bursts forth in all its radiant glory, we pause to bask in it.
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So I ask you, when we don't feel the sun's warmth on our arms and faces, is it gone?
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We say it's gone because we no longer feel it directly impacting our person, but is it really gone? Has the sun actually vanished from the universe? Is it no longer doing its job? Should we start a frantic scramble to find another sun? Create one? Pull one in from another galaxy?
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Of course those suggestions are ridiculous. Anyone knows that whether or not a particular person can feel the sun's rays on any given day has nothing to do with the sun's functioning. The sun is still the sun, doing exactly the job it was created to do both day and night, regardless of whether we see it or feel it.
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But don't we treat God that way?

When things are going great and we feel His pleasure and blessing, we bask in His nearness. We have no doubt that God is on His throne and doing His job.
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But then life grows dark and windy. Storms hit out of the blue. Job loss. Death. Divorce. Relationships shattered. Health deteriorating. We can't see God. Can't feel Him. What happened to the warmth? Where did He go?
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God's tangible presence is a gift equal to no other, the thinnest taste of a glory we cannot comprehend in our mortal state. We long for the thrill of communion with God the way a flower yearns for the sun. But Scripture is clear that we will experience valleys, storms, and darkness when we cannot feel his presence. Regardless of your life choices, the sun won't always shine on you.
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He also promises that He is still there, whether we feel him or not. He's still doing His job, still loving you, still watching over His own, still ready to work everything for your good. That's what walking by faith is all about. Just as the sun is there whether we know it or not, God is still in control no matter how it looks from your vantage point.
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Next time you watch the sun playing peek-a-boo with the clouds, let it remind you that whether you feel the warmth of God's smile at that moment, He is still in control. He knows where you are and He never forgets anyone.


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