God's Presence "in the Cloud by Day"

The Heaven and Nature Sing devotional for February 4th is about rime ice and hoar frost.

Have you ever seen those natural phenomena?

My friend Brian wrote about it in that devo, and another friend, Caleb, just sent me a few photos he took during that same winter Brian talks about.

Here’s that devo from February 4, along with some of Caleb’s photos:

Devo: God’s Presence “in the Cloud by Day“

“In fire by night…and in the cloud by day…” Deuteronomy 1:33

Do you ever feel like you’re living in a fog? Sometimes it’s difficult to know what in the world is going on!?!

It can be pretty scary to get caught on a trail or back road in a thick fog.

God led the children of Israel with fire at night and a cloud by day.

The cloud by day makes me wonder if He was hiding the view ahead—expecting obedience without complete vision for the next step.

Rime Ice and Hoar Frost

During one Minnesota winter we experienced an unusual amount of fog. Along with the fog, we were treated to a spectacular display of hoar frost and rime ice.

winter fog covers the trees with rime ice — *Winter fog covers the trees with rime ice*

The rime ice happens with the right combination of atmospheric pressure, moisture and temperature.

The freezing fog collects as ice crystals, and creates sparkling ice on every surface.

Hoar frost is when the normal dew mist skips the liquid phase and forms tiny ice crystals on grass and trees.

The fog penetrates every area of our atmosphere.

aspen trees with rime ice — *A grove of young aspen covered in rime ice*

God is Present Everywhere

Just as God used a cloud to lead the children of Israel and His presence was in the cloud, so the Lord wants us to know He’s always present with us and always working in us.

The rime ice, produced through freezing fog, is a message of God’s presence and guidance in our lives.

trees covered with rime ice on a foggy day — *A thick winter fog produces rime ice*

Sometimes we feel the cloud is like a deep fog of despair. We’re not sure what God’s doing or where He’s taking us.

But we can be confident He’s always leading us towards a good destination, teaching us how to listen to His voice, to trust and obey.

After the rime ice forms through a dark foggy night, suddenly the sun comes out and the result is a spectacular display of sparkling ice crystals.

trees and grasses covered in rime ice with blue sky behind — *After the fog lifts we witness the sparkle!*

Indeed, God has never stopped working. His grace and power never give up forming in us His ultimate glorious intentions.

Sharon Brodin

Sharon is the principal author and publisher of the "Heaven and Nature Sing" devotional book and founder of this website. She loves how God created such an amazing world and is continually in awe of His goodness, wisdom and creativity.