"From Dust"

On July 5th, 2011 myself as well as the rest of Arizona experienced a huge dust storm. I have lived here my whole life and have never seen one quite that bad. My husband and I looked out the window at the huge winds and swarms of dust that were making its way through the air. It was as if we were watching a significant event take place. My first thought after the storm was centered around how much of an inconvenience this was to us. It created a mess in front of everyone’s home and would probably be a lingering problem until enough rain would hit us to clear it all out. It has been several days since this storm, and you can still see remnants of the dust. Ironically, it has been a reminder to me about the many times that “dust” is used throughout the word of God. To begin with, I try to remember that all of us were first formed from dust. Genesis Chapter 2 explains, “The LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into the nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being (v.7).”

Dust is so temporary. It dances in the wind and settles in the ground. It comes and goes and is only here for a moment. This is the reality for all of us too. We have a short amount of time here to make a difference in our own lives and in the lives of others. The dust has been symbolic for me and a motivation to seize every moment I can. God has given me a responsible nature. Most people would say I am dependable and that I can be trusted to get things done. I am a planner, organizer and “go getter.” However, God has taught me that he reveals the power of His spirit to me when I am in the most unorganized and haphazard moments in life. I am learning to branch out and take risks that bring me closer to God. With His help, I am sharing my faith with strangers, caring less what people think, being more generous, and trusting more fully. Remembering that we are only here for a moment makes it a bit easier to take advantage of every opportunity given to us. “He knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field, the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear Him (Psalm 103:14).”