The sky was so gloriously winter blue this morning, no bird wings or clouds to mar the beauty of Father Sky’s azure canvas. Old Man Winter spent the night here and his cold breath brought out dozens of songbirds to the feeders, fueling their little stomachs with sunflowers seeds to warm themselves through the day and night. The occasional cool breeze played a beautiful hymn on the organ wind chimes across the street. The fighting finches disrupted the quiet of my morning walk with God and Penelope. A single jet contrail passed over us and before our walk ended the contrail had morphed into a large angel wing feather. I love observing these large feather clouds. Makes me feel God is near.

One of my friends sent me a quote from David Jeremiah this morning — “We have the powerful grace of God around us, the powerful hand of God upon us, the powerful presence of God with us, and the powerful promises of God beneath us.” I’ve been pondering this quote all day.

We always have the “powerful grace of God around us.” Psalm 147:5 states, “Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” God is all around us with his grace, his love, and his mercy. We show God’s grace to others through our kindness and forgiveness, sharing the hope of the gospel. We see God’s grace in our everyday blessings and when our prayers are answered. Rooted Ministry writes, “Grace is transformative, constant, and beautiful. Grace rescues us from eternal death, and rescues us from ourselves daily by making us new creations.”

Psalm 46:1: reads, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” I think we feel the “powerful hand of God upon us” when the storm clouds gather and we reach for God’s outstretched hands to bring us out of the darkness into his holy light. We see God’s hands as a guiding force in our lives. We feel his strength when he wipes our tears with answered prayers, when he shoulders our worries and give us peace, and when he holds our hands as we stumble on life’s dark paths. Feeling God’s hands give us a sense of security and safety knowing we are not alone. When we feel God’s hands we are experiencing his love and his blessings.

“The powerful presence of God” being with us gives us a sense of joy. His presence gives us peace and strength. We can find God’s presence in scripture, in beautiful church hymns, in sitting in a porch swing, in walking a dog, even in a genuine smile. God’s presence can move mountains with the power of prayer. Psalm 16:11: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” 

Scripture says “God will guard your heart and mind,” his peace protecting your thoughts, actions, and emotions. “The powerful promises of God beneath us” in my mind are God’s outstretched hands, promised to catch us when we fall, to hold us when we cry, to pat us on the back for a job well done, to help us stand tall in adversity. Deuteronomy 33:27 states, “His dwelling is above, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” The idea of God’s power being beneath us gives us strength and courage to rely on God to help us walk through life. 

Isaiah 41:13 says, “For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you.’” God’s outstretched hands symbolize his protection and his mercy. Even when we turn away from him he is always reaching out to us offering his love, support, and guidance. We all need to grasp God’s hands, trusting him to guide us through the difficult and glorious days of our lives. No path too rocky, no storm too dark, no burdens too heavy for God. He will navigate our journey with hope and peace and strength. Reach out for his hands now.

“The strong hands of God twisted the crown of thorns into a crown of glory; and in such hands we are safe.” — Charles Williams