The Fringes

We have been in a period of stormy weather here in the central Plains.  Many of you know that I love taking sky pictures.  There is hardly any better time to take some amazing shots of God’s work in the skies than during the build-up or the after-effects of a good old Kansas storm.

The clouds build:

Then darken:

And after the drama of the storm, there were these stunning clouds.

As I looked at these skies recently, I was reminded of the undeniable power of God in the creation of such beauty.

 I remembered reading Job 26, how Job talked about God’s unmatchable power that we see, or sometimes can’t see, in our world around us.  

Read some of Job’s description:

“He stretches out the north over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing.  He wraps up the waters in His clouds, and the cloud does not burst under them.  He obscures the face of the full moon and spreads His cloud over it.  He has inscribed a circle on the surface of the waters at the boundary of light and darkness.  The pillars of heaven tremble and are amazed at His rebuke.  He quieted the sea with His power…by His breath the heavens are cleared…”    (Job 26:7-13)

Just stop and think of the astounding power of God that we see in the heavens and on this earth.  His design in creation and His ability to hold everything together, causing the world to operate as it should, is beyond comprehension.  

Listening to the deep thunder this past weekend during our storms made me feel very small.  Our windows even seemed to shake at the power of that rumble.  It reminded me of God’s strength.  So did our gorgeous clouds, so beautifully designed by God.

But listen to what else Job said in the last verse of that chapter.

            “Behold, these are the fringes of His ways…”

All these mighty acts of God that Job describes are then said to be the fringes of His ways.

Fringes…the outer edges, the outskirts.

Stop and think about that.  We see only a small part of God’s ways, of His power, and of His plan.  Yet that small part is so vast and complex!  Imagine what He is doing that we know nothing of!

Job continues:

“And how faint a word we hear of Him!  But His mighty thunder, who can understand?”

We only hear a small whisper of God’s ways in the thunder of His power!

Oh dear friend, if all that we see and hear of God are only the fringes of His ways, then imagine what He is doing in our lives that we cannot know or see.  

He is behind the scenes of those who know Him, working out His perfect will in our lives.  Sometimes we don’t feel that He is doing anything at all, or that our circumstances are too hard and so we doubt Him.  

Nothing can separate us from the love of God, and nothing can deter Him from working out His best plan for His children.  Amid our suffering…our questions…our fears…our pain…our tears – God is doing so much more than we know.  

Someday we will move from the fringes of His ways to seeing His final plan, and we will understand that all along this life, our great God was weaving a beautiful masterpiece full of His mighty grace.  

Author: Patty hesaidwhatks

I'm Patty and I write about our adult son who has Epilepsy and Autism, who still lives with my husband and me, and who is a package full of many surprises and joys and challenges and TALK! Lots of talking, which creates laughter and some other reactions as well. I also write about how God shows Himself to me in everyday life.

32 thoughts on “The Fringes”

  1. Your images of the sky are breathtaking, especially the ones that resemble cotton balls. You’ve given me a new appreciation of Job’s description of God’s handiwork. His entire palette is unimaginable!

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    1. What a beautiful description of God’s work – His palette. That verse in Job took my breath away, as does God’s beauty all around us. I love His works and His power, seen and unseen. Thanks for reading, Nancy.

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  3. Beautiful thoughts as well as photos. I love that phrase, “we only see the fringes”. It makes the thought of heaven so real. Maybe even there we will never come to the end of all our Father has planned.

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  8. I especially love the first photo. The cloud looks like my state, Kentucky. I also love the sky, especially at night. I pray that everyone will be safe over the next few days as stormy weather blows through. Blessings, Patty!

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  9. Pingback: The Fringes – QuietMomentsWithGod

  10. Patty, what beautiful varied sky patterns before and after the storm. When we go through a storm it seems to unleash its fury for a long time, put the aftermath has unique glory that reminds its that God is with ius throughout the dark stormy times.

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  11. Such wonderful encouragement here, Patty. I never took note of the significance of that verse, Job 26:14 ,that speaks of the outer fringes of God’s work. But you are right: “Our great God is weaving a beautiful masterpiece full of His mighty grace.”  Thank you for increasing my awe of God today!

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    1. Isn’t it amazing how we can read verses over and over, and each time something new can jump out at us? That’s what happened when I read that chapter and saw verse 14. God is so refreshing to show us new truths.

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  12. ”Nothing can separate us from the love of God, and nothing can deter Him from working out His best plan for His children.  Amid our suffering…our questions…our fears…our pain…our tears – God is doing so much more than we know.”

    I have learned this more than I can say over the past 4 months. God has worked in the lives of our family in ways I can’t explain. I know I shared with you about my 36 year old daughter having emergency decompressive cranioplasty surgery January 4th. If someone would have told me that a case of bronchitis would make her immune system attack her and cause her brain to swell I would have looked at them in disbelief! Never heard of ADEM until 4 months ago and now I know more about it than I want to know! It’s been rough going but God had preserved her life. She is mentally fine and doing well that way but her left brain was where the surgery was performed so it has caused her communication part of her brain (right side) to shut down. She cannot read, she does not know her numbers or her letters. She can talk but she can’t tell us in words what she wants to say. She has broca aphasia. Sometimes we laugh together when she is trying to tell us something and sometimes we cry together. Pray for her she has surgery July 3rd to put her skull piece back and we are hoping and praying this will help with the aphasia. All through this though God is working out His plan for our lives and doing much more than we know! Thank you Patty for this post! 💕

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    1. Oh Amy, I didn’t realize what all is going on with your daughter. I’m so sorry for this huge life changing experience she has gone through, and how all of you are so impacted by it. It’s been very hard for all of you, I’m sure. I pray that her surgery on July 3 will greatly help her aphasia. Blessings, sweet friend.

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