February 16, 2005
Dear Friend,
Years ago I took a week long hunting trip on North Manitou Island located 8 miles off the Leelanau Peninsula of Michigan in Lake Michigan. My seventeen year old son, my friend David and I had put in an application and was selected, (drawn from a lottery) to hunt for a week in this beautiful setting. It was October and you would expect good weather for camping but this was nothing of the sort. A fluke low-pressure system produced a barometric reading of 27.95, a record low for that area. It came upon us the night before the trip bringing a thunderstorm, then snow. The result was tempestuous wind and waves on Lake Michigan. There were actually fifteen-foot swells.
Arriving to the island by boat, we docked and then formed a human chain to unload our gear with 30 mile per hour winds and 40 mile per hour gusts. Loading our one-wheeled carts with our equipment was critical for survival. It was windy, cold and dangerous. It was all we could do to keep from being frozen and to keep our stuff from blowing away into the lake.
We checked in at the ranger station where we were given basic instructions about the island. We then preceded to our destination 4 1/2 miles inland. For 6 hours we carried and pushed our gear. We set up our tent and camp in 20-degree temperatures and with the help of a Coleman space heater that we ran intermittently in the tent our sleeping temperature reached 40 degrees. Do I need to tell you I was cold? I put everything I had brought on top of me and I was still cold.
The next day we awakened to a stillness and clearness of the sky that was beautiful. New snow had fallen and with the stillness of the island it was breathtaking.
I walked a few miles with my son looking for signs of deer when we came upon an inland lake. Canadian Snow geese were flying in and lifting off amidst a misty fog that was vaporizing from the water. The morning sun glistened on the ripples like diamonds and on the far side of the lake there was a few deer catching the same view. It was one of the most beautiful glimpses of God’s creation I have ever seen.
I am reminded every time I trudge through a tough week, of that stormy day and the efforts and pain. I am reminded that some of the greatest glimpses of God come when we go through the toughest times of life. It was in the middle of Job’s grieving over loss of family and possessions that Job (Job 42) shares these precious glimpses of God, vs. 2 “I know you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.” Later in verse 5 “My ears have heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”
The glimpse of that Lake on that Island in 1997 I will never forget. The pain has faded away; the beautiful glimpse will be with me all my life.
Job saw a God who was good, in control and one that never made mistakes. God plans and decisions were far above Job’s reasoning’s. Today I stand devastated and a little numb at the loss of my friend Paul Jackson. I know it was allowed by God but as I grasp the reality of his absence from this ministry I hurt with an ache of grief not being with him anymore this side of glory. Yet, through it all I am seeing glimpses of God that shine ever brighter through the blackest of sky.
One of those glimpses came a week before my friend went to heaven. I realized as I prayed with him at his bedside that it was inappropriate to say good-bye for I would see him again and not really that long from now. I shared “see you later in heaven”. The other glimpse was Sunday, as Stephen Davey shared “We are not living in the land of the living going to the land of the dying”. We rather are living in the land of the dying going to the land of the living.” Wow! What a reality of this life. Today I rejoice in the glimpse of God, realizing that my trudge in this world is a pilgrimage to the city of my citizenship. As Paul said, “My citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:20
Recently, my son-in-law was very frustrated over his job. He was so anxious it made him sick. Then one afternoon his whole perspective changed and the weight was lifted. He accepted a different job at a different company. The amazing thing was this. As he went back to his job of frustration the final two weeks, his perspective was totally different. Why? HE knew it was not long till he was somewhere else. He could handle every crazy thing because, he was moving on.
The world is crazy and this world can bring us anxiety. However, it is not for long. I have an eternal home ahead that is so much better, so much fairer. It is a perfect home in glory, which has a perfect boss. I am serving him here in the midst of this crazy short time of life. I can endure all things through Christ who gives me strength!
Do you have a heavy burden from your employment, or whatever? Look ahead, have an eternal mindset! If you do you will keep your joy and experience the peace of God, but most of all you will see in the midst of the trudge, glimpses of God that will take your breath away!
Be a blessing to others this week!
For His Glory,
Brad Harbaugh