“Earth’s crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God. But only he who sees takes off his shoes.”  Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Fall is here and beginning to change our corner of the world. The color is creeping in and will soon explode into joyous masterpiece. We wait for it expectantly. Even in our frantic living, we are waiting.

There is something about autumn that reaches the heart. What is it about dying leaves infused with color? About living plants preparing to sleep awhile? About crisp air driving us inside to home and hearth?

Autumn is a gift from One who knows all about living and dying and our need for beauty and warmth. We see Him in all the details. Every bush is burning.

Don’t you see Him?

We ran away for a few days to the mountains. (We were supposed to go the ocean before Marissa’s surgery, but October seems to be a good month for hurricanes.) It is so peaceful here and we are soaking up togetherness, soaking up family. Soaking up the earth afire with God.

We see Him, and our shoes are off.

We are still a little stunned at the change of plans for Marissa. Our goal was to finish chemotherapy and get through the surgery. Radiation was only to finish off the plan, and now it is the only plan. We are grateful for the clear bone scan and thankful Marissa doesn’t have to go through an unnecessary surgery. But her body is tired of chemo, and it seems she will need to deal with it for a good while yet. This cancer is so aggressive, and we know there is only One who can heal her.

The One who sets the earth afire.

My son broke his thumb this week, and my ankle is slowly healing. The approaching hurricane kept us from the ocean, and our family will be separated for most of the next six weeks. This world is sick and confusing and so often sad. Marissa’s cancer just refuses to retreat.

But the earth is afire with God. We see Him all around. We trust the Creator of storms and color and beauty. We have seen His redemptive work, and we believe in His promises. We have felt the cold and dark, sick places in our hearts come alive in Him. We have seen the broken healed and the blind made to see. We are witnesses to His majesty and power. We know Him, and we are known by Him.

This is His world. His beauty.  We are His people, and this is His storm. We see Him, and we are waiting expectantly. The whole earth is groaning.

Every bush is burning.

Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD.  Jeremiah 23:24

Know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. Deuteronomy 4:39

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:36