I get a little devotional emailed to me everyday called "Prime Time With God". (http://www.churchgrowth.org/analysis/intro.php)when I took a spiritual gifts inventory online. Today's verse was over Exodus 20:21 " The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was". It hit me how often we are afraid of the darkness that we often go through to get to God on the other side. At the time, the darkness seems all encompassing.. but in fact, God is always there- even if we can't or won't see him. It also reminds me of stories I have heard of trees and storms. It seems so harsh when a storm rips through town.. all of the limbs down and branches everywhere... but have you ever noticed what the same trees look like a few months later? There is new growth where the storm stripped out the diseased and unhealthy parts. New, fresh growth that can actually product fruit. The parts that were dieseased had the potential to kill the entire tree. God- in His infinate wisdom, has removed the parts that were hurting the tree and left spaces for the tree to grow healthy. It is hard to remember when you are in a storm, but remember "the people" from above. All of the miracles they witnessed- and they still "remained at a distance". I am going to try to be like Moses... I want to chose to approach.:-)
