My favorite picture of Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site is one that was taken by a drone.  I love the perspective of the picture, because you can see the Missouri River behind the fort.  When we are standing at the Fort we can’t see the river.  It is on the other side of a cottonwood forest that grew up as the river slowly moved further south.  The river is right there – but we can’t see it. The trees block our view.

Our view of our lives is often just like this.  We are earthbound and unaware of what lies just beyond the things we can see.  It might be something magnificent, something wonderful, a mighty river.  But we can’t see it and so we don’t even know it is there.

Knowing that we are earthbound and unaware helps us deal with some of the whys of life.  So many times we ask why a certain thing happens or why God lets something happen.  Our focus is on this moment, this event, this awful thing.  We cannot see beyond to the wider view.  But God does.  God sees and God knows with a view that is more comprehensive than anything we can ever see or know.  Perhaps I need to go through this in order to be ready for that.  Maybe her witness through this difficult time will lead others to Christ.  That man might be struggling so that he can bring about a change for good that will affect the lives of thousands.

We do not know but God knows.  And knowing that I do not know, that I cannot see, helps me learn to trust God.  I can get through this because I am covered by a God who is bigger than I am, who sees further, who knows forever.  It also helps if I raise my sights heavenward – knowing that this small trouble has no comparison to the glory of eternity with God.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18:  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.