I love to watch the sky. Our city rests on the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, so it’s easy to find a hilltop where one can see the clouds swirling on top of a dark azure blue.

At times, the clouds have been simply breathtaking. No artist could paint the glory of some I’ve seen, especially during a sunset—those fleeting moments when the heavens sing. It happens during those minutes we call dusk, when the world lingers between light and shadow. The clouds dance across the sky, sweeping the colors under their skirts, and the sun leaves its footprints in streaks of gold and yellow.

I’ll often notice it as we drive to school in the mornings or shuffle to and from our evening activities. I’ll call out to my kids in the back, “Isn’t the sky beautiful?”

And they will awaken from their smart phone stupor, finally looking up long enough to see the one-of-a-kind painting of nature that was gifted to us for these few fleeting moments.

How could they miss it? I often wonder.  There it is right before their eyes.

I was baffled by the same phenomenon as we recently headed out of our neighborhood. Just as we crested the hill, a rainbow spread its colors from one side of the heavens to the other with the grace of angels’ wings. It soared above the highest buildings of the city, and every single layer of color was as distinct as if a child had finger-painted it across the sky.

“Look at the rainbow!” I cheered.

I looked around at the other drivers as if to say, “Do you see it?” Seeking at least one other soul who could share in this gift with my family and me, I peered into their little auto-worlds and saw no one looking, no one noticing, no one in awe.

One girl drove by chatting on her phone; another man was preoccupied with the traffic, speeding and glancing in his rear-view mirror as he looked for a passing opportunity.  Some were staring blankly into space; others were singing along with the radio, but no one appeared to see the rainbow.

There it was—beautiful, bold, and bigger than life—and they were missing it.

It made me think of us as Christians on our heavenly journey. There is a beautiful, glorious, radiant, awesome God all around us. He’s bigger than life itself—and He’s shouting out to us in radiant glory! But for some reason we so often completely miss His beauty. Just like the rainbow, His presence is a gift we’ve been given, and yet we forget that it’s okay to stop our busy lives and enjoy His loveliness.

I know I’m guilty of missing out. I get distracted by the everyday interruptions in my life—the worries of finances, busy schedules, focusing on my own wants and needs. We all deal with problems like troubled kids or hurting marriages. Sometimes we try so hard to be “good” that we miss out on relishing God’s glory—too much like Martha and not enough like Mary.

I have those times when I start to feel overwhelmed with life, and my worries overtake me. I think about the future, the present, my downfalls and shortcomings. At times I feel like the world is resting on my shoulders. It’s during these times that I stop what I’m doing—put down the dishes… pull over the car… turn off the television. And then I go outside and just watch the sky.

I gaze at the clouds rolling by, the birds soaring and singing. I feel the wind blowing through my hair and I think, Look at how little I am and how great the sky and how much greater its Creator!

Even as small as I am, God loves me enough to give me the beauty of a sunset or the song of a bird. Would this God not take care of my needs the way He’s taken care of the birds who sing to me? (Matthew 6:26). Would He give me a stone when I ask for bread? (Luke 11:11).

Thankfully, God has given us a great big beautiful reminder suspended over our heads, filled with colors in the day and twinkling stars at night. How tragic that we so often miss its brilliance and the message of comfort God so plainly declares, that everything is okay because it’s under His control. And not only are His ways good, but they are also splendid to behold.