“‘I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand–I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.'” Isaiah 51:16 NIV

     I’m really not an early morning riser. However, here I was, again, driving the freeway at “o’dark thirty” in the morning. It was the day after Christmas and our youngest son had to fly back to Arizona for work while the rest of us lounged around California for two more days, visiting family and friends.
     On the return trip from the airport, the azure morning sky was seeping through the dark cloak of night. I could feel my whole body begin to relax as I recognized familiar sites on the way back to the hotel. I sensed the Lord’s hand upon me. The tense grip on the steering wheel eased up and I began peeking at the transforming sky.
     Quick glances in my side view mirror revealed heavenly pink-filled clouds streaking across this blue canvas.      Raspberry pink flooded the clouds overhead as the sun welcomed this new day. My eyes carefully glanced at the drama He was brushing across the morning sky. Oh! Where was my camera? Cozyily tucked in at the foot of my bed back in the hotel room. Yet, how could I capture this landscape while speeding down a California freeway anyway?  So, I  once again proclaimed the Lord’s glorious handiwork on earth. And took joy in this intimate worship service with the Lord.
     Above me now, the pink clouds thinned into fingers stretched above my car as if the Lord’s hand itself was resting upon me guiding me and protecting me through the journey.
      What a wondrous picture He had painted of His protection over me. Wishing I had my camera, I sped along the road only to enter blankets of fog that obscured the road ahead. In minutes, the low lying patches began to thin and the road ahead was again clear. It reminded me of our journey through life. How the road can be obscured at times and we must follow the One who is leading us.  Our self confidence is gone and we must trust much more in the Only One who knows what is ahead of us. Then we pass through the fog and on the clear road we sometimes make the mistake of trusting in ourselves again.
    I passed through several patches of fog on my way back that morning yielding many opportunities to follow the One leading the way. I found He is trustworthy and surely His hand is upon us–even when we can’t see those threads of pink fingers stretched above us.

 “The Lord will keep you from all harm–he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121:7&8 NIV