Above the Clouds

Bible Reading: Psalm 46:1-3, 10-11; Isaiah 41:10

As Parker boarded the airplane with his grandmother, he had a lump in his throat. His parents were getting a divorce, and he was going to stay with his grandparents for a while. He felt as dark and gloomy as the day around him--not at all excited about flying on a plane for the first time in his life.

Grandma gave him a reassuring smile. "Scared?" she asked.

Parker shook his head--but inside he screamed, Yes, I'm scared! I'm scared of everything. But he didn't say anything. As the plane sped down the runway, huge drops of rain splattered on the small windows. Just like tears, Parker thought. But he didn't cry.

When the plane lifted from the earth, Parker felt like his heart jumped into his throat. He took a deep breath. All around, dark clouds tumbled, and Parker's stomach felt uneasy. Grandma reached for his hand. "Don't be afraid," she said softly. "We'll get through this."

Parker knew his grandmother was talking about more than the plane ride. He knew she was also referring to the dark, stormy clouds in his life. He wanted to believe her, but there was so much fear in his heart.

"We're going to go right into some of those dark clouds, Parker," said Grandma. "For a few minutes, we'll be in a thick fog, because that's what clouds are--fog. But just wait until we get above the clouds. You'll see."

As Grandma spoke, dark clouds closed in all around them. The interior of the plane dimmed. Then suddenly, a brilliant light came streaming through the windows. Parker squinted as he pressed his nose to the window pane. "Wow!"

Grandma looked over Parker's shoulder at the bright blue sky outside the window. "Even when we can't see it, the sun is always shining. It still shines above the clouds." She smiled and gently patted Parker's hand. "Our family is going through a dark cloud right now, Parker. Things look pretty bad to us, but remember that Jesus is still with us. Even in the darkness, the light of His love never stops shining. He will help us get through this dark time, and one day He will make everything in our broken world right again. Someday we'll break through the clouds."

-Barbara J. Westberg