The Awesomeness of God

Let me take a few minutes to reflect on my past week and share some glimpses into what I’ve seen and the conclusions I’ve come to.

My husband and I had the privilege of spending a week’s holiday in Cuba last week. I say it was a privilege because I realize not just everyone has the means or opportunity to make that type of trip. This was not a mission’s trip, it was pure and simple – a vacation. A much needed break and time away from our very full plates. By the way – it was lovely!

For those of you who have done a resort-type trip in the middle of a cold and snowy Canadian winter you know what I’m talking about; for those of you who haven’t let me just say it’s rather strange to go from minus-crazy-something with snow up to there to a few hours later humid, tropical temperatures, palm trees and a foreign language. (This is likely a good time to say I am very thankful for individuals who are able to learn a new language so the likes of myself can travel to a foreign country and get by with minimal difficulties understanding what’s asked of me.)

Let me also say I am not the best traveller – in whatever mode of transportation; car, bus, train, airplane, etc. I don’t like being confined to small, uncomfortable seats with limited access to the kitchen and bathroom – ahem!

Anyway, as we walked down the wooden boardwalk to the beach on our first day in Cuba I was struck by the awesomeness of the shades of turquoise ocean waters, brilliant blue skies, the green foliage, and I simply had nothing but a few pictures in a magazine to use as a point of reference. The sight before me was simply stunning and breathtaking and awesome.

I spent the next number of days sitting on the beach watching the waves roll in amazed at what I was gazing at. I was struck over and over again that the same God who created the piles of snow at home and the evergreen trees I’m familiar with also created the white, powdery sand, the colour of the ocean and the tropical surroundings. I still haven’t quite figured out how to put into words how I feel about the awesomeness of God who created the universe and all that I’ve seen in the last week.

I was reminded of Genesis 1:9-10 which says, “Then God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.” And that is what happened. God called the dry ground ‘land’ and the waters ‘seas’. And God saw that it was good.”

The vastness of the ocean was beyond anything this prairie girl could compare anything to. The slough outside my back door growing up was a drop in the bucket (literally) compared to the vastness of the ocean I was looking at. Then this scripture came to mind. “He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.” Psalm 33:7

The awesomeness of God took my breath away, repeatedly, and I found myself thanking God and praising Him for the beauty around me.

I still feel like my mind has not caught up with all I experienced, but I am so thankful for our trip and the beautiful resort we had the opportunity to stay in. I am thankful the Lord allowed me the opportunity to have a glimpse into a small portion of His creation. And I am ever grateful that the Lord loves me and cares enough about me to meet me right where I am in the midst of my full plate. In the past week and a half I have been able to breathe in the tropical sights and sounds of Cuba, along with the crisp, Manitoba, winter air (and a whole lot of snow!). The extreme differences of these two beautiful locations has not been lost on this prairie farm girl, nor has the awesomeness of God.

Jo-Ann