A TREE IN FULL BLOOM

On the way to church today, I walked down from my building on Eisenhower Street and noticed the beautiful tree on the Kaimo family's yard in full bloom! It was 6:15AM, and I knew I had to rush and make it to church a 6:40, but the tree blossoms looked so beautiful, I slowed down to enjoy the scene. The sky was overcast, and the road still had visible signs of having been soaked in rainwater the day before. I observed tiny flowers falling on to the drenched asphalt road as the branches are rattled by the gentle morning breeze that carried the blooms' scent into the air! It was a feeling close to amazing! What a way for God to begin my day!

I passed by the convenience store to get a chocolate drink, hailed a cab and on the road browsed the morning news on the internet through my phone (known 20th-century theologian, Karl Barth believed that the preacher should stand with the Bible in one hand and the morning newspaper in the other). There's not much good news: power crisis, food crisis, political bickering, inflation, etc.-- very disheartening!
Immediately, I thought of the beautiful tree I walked past earlier and how God started ministering to me with it. Then browsing the news, I felt the whole world trying to shrivel the inspiration-producing thought away. The cab made its way up the overpass on Ortigas corner EDSA and on my left, I saw a tree in full bloom, similar to the one near my house! It generated a smile-- God was not going to let the worship inspiration overshadowed by the news!

This morning in our services, we sang Hosanna by Paul Baloche.

The pre-chorus reads:

'Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day

In Your Presence all our fears are washed away, washed away.

Immediately, I am reminded of Psalm 29:10-11:

The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
The LORD is enthroned as King forever.
The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.

Though the storms rage and the mountains quake, the Lord is king. His enthronement over "the flood" assures his children that great as his power is, he is sovereign. As in the days of the Flood, so it is at any time that God's glory can be expressed in severe judgment. He rules over nations and peoples that inhabit and traverse land and sea. The demonstration of God's glory in nature gives a sense of tranquility and awe. The Lord, our God, is powerful in his glory. He can and does protect his people.