Faith and Family - Donna Whartenby

Faith and Family

DO YOU SEE THE SIGNS?

written by Donna Whartenby

Do you see the signs? Don’t you look for signs? While driving, don’t you look for signs of familiarity and when to stop? Do you see the signs to confirm you are heading in the right direction or to tell you where to make a turn? Do you see the signs to direct you on the right path to reach your destination? When you see the signs of dark clouds, hear thunder, and smell that aroma of rain in the air, you know a storm is approaching. You hear the siren of an ambulance long before you see it. You can smell fire before you see signs of burning embers. You see the signs on a mountain trail of beautiful flora and fauna, hear the babbling sounds of a nearby stream, and search for signs of the footprints of friends and foes.

Do you see the signs from God? When He sets a rainbow in the clouds, He reminds us He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth, and honors His covenantal promise that there will never be a great flood to destroy all living things on Earth again (Gen 9:13- 17 NASB). He displays a splendor of fall colors in the cool, crisp air; and a spectrum of floral colors and fragrances in the warming spring. These signs illustrate there are seasons of change and a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3). Deuteronomy 4:19 (NLT) states, “When you look up into the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars…The Lord your God gave them to all the peoples of the earth.” There are also signs of warning in Acts 2:20 (NIV): “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon to blood before the great and glorious day of the Lord.”

God fills our world with signs. He blesses the day with a miraculous sunrise, a sign shouting, “This is the day that He has made!” He blesses you with hugs and kisses as a sign of someone’s love. He blesses you with news of health, whether good or not so good, as a sign of His love and promises that He will never leave you or forsake you. Have you made a sudden change in direction because you unknowingly heard the Holy Spirit’s quiet voice tell you to “come this way”? Our Heavenly Father, Jehovah Jireh, provides us with comfort, peace, and joy as a sign of His everlasting love. He gives us these signs that we can trust Him, know Him, and love Him forever. He provides you with signs to direct your path, lead you to decisions, and hear His small, quiet voice to let you know His will. Do you pray daily for God to open your eyes to recognize His signs?

Are you enthusiastically teaching your children and grandchildren to look for His signs? No? Begin today by showing them how to see God in everything, to look for His signs when riding in the car, after the rain, in the night sky, when they hear a baby cry, or see tender tears on a cheek. Let them smell a beautiful flower and remind them that God blesses them with the senses of smell, sight, hearing, and touch. Help them discover shapes in the clouds against the blue sky of God’s creation. Teach them their heart’s desire to trust and be near you is the sign that our Heavenly Father wants the same trust and nearness to Him. Teach them how to talk to our Heavenly Father in reverent prayer just like they can talk to you on Earth.

Discover His presence in everything. See His signs and you will be blessed!