Blown by the Hand of God
By Timothy W. Tron
Burke County
“Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.”-Dan. 10:12
The leaf clings to the branch, its life source, not seeking to search beyond what is now; what is real. Time passes and the seasons begin to change. Forsaken of looking past the immediate, soon, the grip of that being begins to loosen. The chill of the mornings drops farther with each passing day. Soon, the white mist of icy crystals will cover the sleeping ground, bringing with it the killing frost; the weather of the coming winter.
As the season folds into the next, the lone amber leaf is released from its grasp upon the place for which it had known, the place to which it felt a belonging. The cold winds lift the airborne vessel into the overcast sky, its destination is unknown. Where it will land is not as important as what it does before it ends up in its final resting place. The story that will unfold is the true source of purpose; the color and light that it will shed upon those who watch will become its true mission. For once, it held tightly to the thing from which it drew its breath of life, the source of its inspiration. Now, with what is left of that culmination of a summer’s growth, it has been set free to inspire the world around it. The energy it had received must now be used to give hope to the world in which it will land. For once it was the receiver, it will now become the giver.
Each season of change has a purpose. Where God leads, when we walk in his way, we must realize that for each minuscule movement of our physical being, we are carried, like the fair winds of change, to the place for which he has intended all along. No matter how the path had twisted and turned, we must be mindful that it has been the Master’s hand upon our entire journey. No faltering of our own existence could have taken us from the steps for which each had an intended meaning, each having a character-building, a faith empowering moment from which we became stronger, more resilient in our faith. For such a time is now that we have been prepared. Like the soil, for that which the farmer had worked, to ready it for the next planting, the next harvest, and then to turn the soil in preparation for the winter’s cycle to begin the process all over again. Each action has an intended reaction. Every touch of God’s hand upon our lives reveals another bend in our road of life.
The leaf flitters in the wind tipped and turned, being blown about without knowing where it will land. If it lights upon one spot, it may be but there for a short time before another blustery gust will lift it once again, not quite as high as before, but enough so that it will carry it to another resting place; potentially where it will remain for all time, or perhaps, to be lifted yet again, blown unto another point of God’s intended destination. Forever taken by his meaningful purpose upon our being to where we are needed most.
All around us are other leaves, whether they have fallen or whether they remain clinging to the very branch from whence we came, each one a story a journey of their own. Some will join us, while others will be blown to places that we may never know. Each has a purpose for which they, too, have been intended. Grown to maturity in His loving presence, until the time is right for them to be set free and to be taken where His guiding hand places them. Each of us, in our own minds only see our singular existence, but from His eternal point of view, we are just one of a multitude for which he hath created. Some may be with us while others are simply watching, waiting to be inspired, so that they too someday may join us on that tree of life.
This morning’s scripture not only spoke to me but rather, screamed at me. Not only did the meaning hit me full fold, but the actual scripture number stood out as more than a coincidence; 10/12 (October 12th), the date of my birthday. Daniel, speaking to God, receives his answer, telling him that his prayers had been heard and that from the very start, not only was he heard, but that God had come for his words. Once Daniel had chosen to control his decisions in life and submit himself before God, he procured God’s attention. In so doing, garnering the grace of God, he sought to understand God and what his life meant with regard to God’s intended purpose. Seeking to understand God allows us to better walk in the way in which he hath intended. In that manner, we then become stewards of His word, sharing, expounding, and giving voice to the Spirit that dwelleth within us through the Comforter, which he has promised and provided.
Searching for God, wanting to have a personal relationship with him, allows us to lift our voices to the great Almighty, from our tiny, infinitely small voice, to the One who reigns over all; the creator of Heaven and Earth, the God who spoke life into existence and breathed into the nostrils of Adam, after he had been formed from the clay of the very earth from which He hath created out of nothing; it is that God, to whom we, the created by his hand, seek to understand a wisdom so vast, so unimaginable, that we can forever hope to comprehend, but will never acquire but the most infinitesimally small portion to which He has to offer.
So, it is not the actual ability to understand for which we hope to seek, the wisdom for which He will grant if only we ask, but that our actions to procure that knowledge is as important as the wisdom itself. When we show we are acknowledging our humility, when we submit ourselves to His will, and not our own, it is then we are ever more allowed to come close and to learn from all that He can provide.
As the sap rises in the tree, giving energy and life to the leaf from whence, in like manner, the sunlight passeth through the very fibers of the leaf’s being, giving untold strength and energy, allowing the tree to draw life from the light, so too are we; a complexity of a life given to a mind that is often incapable of grasping the sheer unseen complexities that allow us to function on a daily basis, from the invisible DNA molecules, knitted together to form the being of who we are, to the interaction with the whole of the earth around us, each formed in their own manner too, existing of the very building blocks from which we are also created, to become a singular existence; one solitary leaf, that will drift, like when we are answered by God’s presence and the path for which he will send us out upon to do His will.
Our personal chastisement provides the boundaries, both to keep us mindful of our walk, but it also keeps the world around us at bay. The exterior protection from the elements, both physical and spiritual, are equally as important as that with which we seek to fill the void within. Without the firm outer shell, the soul within cannot be protected and can fall victim to the death and decay of the dark forces of this world.
Coming close to God, seeking to understand, we then are giving what we need to go forth and provide light and hope to the world around us, not only from the perspective as physical sustenance, but also from the spirit of our own, giving light to the soul within of others; being the colorful, light for which we have been changed. Our evolving from what we once were into the being that is capable of becoming what God had always intended, is the answer to our prayers.
Our walk now not yet complete; our sanctification a never-ending process; we are sent to go where we can provide the next season of hope to those in a dark world.
Without knowing, in our seeking to understand Him, we are giving the very life and tools with which to go forth and bring others to Him; and in the end, coming full circle as He speaks through us despite ourselves. With each word that we share, we walk one step closer to His side. Thanks be to God.
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Timothy W. Tron lives in Collettsville, NC. with his family. He is the former Director of the Trail of Faith in Valdese, where he still volunteers and helps with tours. He is the author of a new Christian series, “Children of the LIght”, with the first book being, “Bruecke to Heaven”, and his recent book, being the second, “The Light in the Darkness”. He is an active blogger, artist, and musician. Timothy also has a BSEE from UF, and is a Lay Speaker. He can be reached at twtron@live.com. You can also visit his website at //www.timothywtron.com/
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