I was late coming outside for my morning walk with God because of lingering too long in a book by my newest favorite author, Lilias Trotter. She had quoted Augustine of Hippo’s striking words about our origin: “Thou has made us for Thyself, and the heart rests not till it rests in Thee.”¹

As I hurriedly stepped off my porch, walked past the trees and out into the opening, I quickly realized being late simply meant that I was just in time to see God’s glory splashed on the mountainside across the valley from where I stood. What I saw is called a temperature inversion. It is opposite of normal atmospheric conditions, where air is warmer near the ground and colder at higher altitudes. It took my breath away as I hurried to snap a few pictures.

I glanced at the sun and saw majestic sunbeams peeking through the trees as if to catch a glimpse of that cloud inversion over on the mountains. My heart erupted: “O God, I see you. I sense you. I feel you.” I heard His soft response, “Be still and know that I am your God.”

Can I? Can we—be still? We must know Him as our God, if we want to live forever. It’s that simple—believe He is who He says He is and trust Him. In the cool morning breeze, geese flying south interrupt the quietness with loud quacking. I scarce can take it in. It is refreshing moments—far away from the disturbing hatred that quacked from the television last night. God knew I needed a mind reset.

I never dreamed I would live to see America on the brink of collapse, destruction, and ruin—things that threaten the very foundation of our nation. It is hard to comprehend, yet it lurks powerfully in front of eyes that can see it. Things feel upside down—inverted one could say—like when cold air and warm air change places. Good people support bad leaders and things God would never condone. Strong believers are being deceived to accept another gospel. I struggle to wrap my mind, much less my heart, around it all.

Last evening the news reported an attack on one who fights for our country. I did some research and discovered that more than one million service men and women have fought and died for this country since the Revolutionary War. I wonder if I will be willing to fight when the fight comes to me. Only God knows.

God woos my thoughts back to Himself, “Keep your mind stayed on Me; focus on My Kingdom.”

As I struggle to redirect my thoughts, His invitation came, “Rest your heart in Me.”

True heart-rest comes only from God. Which will I choose today—to focus on a messy world or a majestic God? It’s my choice as well as yours. Our choice determines our state of mind: a state of peace or a state of turmoil. No matter what comes or goes, we must be on the side of God to have any chance of finding peace. We must practice His presence with us daily—perhaps hourly as the prophesied hour approaches. I perceive this is the only way to survive the last days on earth.

There are two worlds at war. According to Augustine of Hippo, we were made for only one. We belong to only one. Our lives can find peace in only one. Only one offers eternal life. So, we must let go of the other—the one we don’t belong to.

Our life is hidden with Christ, in God, according to Colossians 3:3. That is where we belong. Focus on that life because the other is but a vapor—like the inverted clouds on the far mountainside. With every passing moment, it is slowly fading away and almost out of sight.

James 4:14 tells us, “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” (NLT)

We all have a choice of what we will focus on today. I highly recommend the Majestic God, especially since He made us for Himself.

~Sarah Jane

¹ Lilias Trotter, The Way of the Sevenfold Secret, Lilias Trotter Legacy Inc., 2023, Mt. Dora, FL, p 14