The Storm Speaks
KABOOM!
The crack of thunder sent me flying out of my chair.
I thought, The lightning must have struck something.
Annoyed the storm was interrupting my quiet time, my attitude changed when it occurred to me the distraction could have been intentional.
We interrupt this quiet time to remind you that God’s presence is near.
I adjusted my morning plan to look up thunder and lightning in the Bible.
Here’s what I found:
“Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning, the LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded” (Psalm 18:12-13).
“The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders…” (Psalm 29:3).
“In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud…” (Psalm 81:7)
“Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again. The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered, others said an angel had spoken to him” (John 12:29).
When Daniel witnessed the pre-incarnate Christ, he described him this way: “I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like topaz, his face like lightning…” (Daniel 10:6).
When Ezekiel saw the throne of God, he said it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it.
Where there is thunder and lightning, there is God.
He created it.
He is surrounded by it.
He speaks through it.
Thunder and lightning represent his glory.
The book of Revelation describes God’s temple in heaven. Within his temple was the ark of his covenant, then there came “flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm” (Revelation 11:19).
Thunder and lightning get our attention.
I’ve have a healthy fear of lightning because I have had several close encounters. Once at a swimming pool during a storm, lightning was striking all around me, but somehow I avoided a one-on-one fatal encounter. Another while working at a drafting table in my summer job. My office was on the 7th floor, and I was using an electric eraser during a thunderstorm. I watched the eraser attract a lightning streak like a magnet.
As I look back, both were close encounters with God, and he spared my life.
Thunder and lightning should remind us of God.
They should bring to mind his power, his glory, and his presence.
Will you see Him the next time there’s a storm?