Yesterday, was day two of the storm front that has come upon my area of the United States. The cool morning air is a welcome visit to the hot humid air that suffocates me, as I try to drink my morning coffee and catch a glimpse of the hummingbirds crowding my feeders. As I sit back in my anti-gravity chair, (a gift from a friend) I reminisce of the goodness of God. Yes, I have weathered my share of storms. I don't pretend life hasn't hit me hard. The death of my first born daughter, the divorce of my parents, loosing our house in a horrific fire just to name a few that have left their mark upon my family and I's life. But, I can say without a doubt, the Lord has given me beauty for ashes. (Isaiah 61)
Job 37 (ERV)
1“The thunder and lightning frighten me;
my heart pounds in my chest.
2 Listen to God’s thundering voice!
Listen to the sound coming from his mouth.
3 He sends his lightning to flash across the whole sky.
It lights up the earth from one end to the other.
4 After the flashes of lightning you can hear his roaring voice.
He thunders with his wonderful voice!
And while his voice thunders, the lightning flashes continue.
5 God’s thundering voice is amazing!
He does great things that we cannot understand.
6 He says to the snow,
‘Fall on the earth.’
And he says to the rain,
‘Pour down on the earth.’
7 God does this to stop everyone’s work
and to show the people he made what he can do.
8 The animals run into their dens and stay there.
9 Whirlwinds come from the south.
The cold winds come from the north.
10 God’s breath makes ice
and freezes even large bodies of water.
11 He fills the clouds with water
and scatters his lightning through them.
12 He orders the clouds to be blown all around the earth.
The clouds do whatever he commands.
13 He causes the clouds to punish people with floods
or to water his earth and show his love.
14 “Job, stop for a minute and listen.
Think about the wonderful things God does.
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds?
Do you know how he makes his lightning flash?
16 Do you know how the clouds hang in the sky?
This is just one of the amazing works of the one who knows everything.
17 All you know is that you sweat, your clothes stick to you,
and all is still and quiet when the heat wave comes from the south.
18 Can you help God spread out the sky
and make it shine like polished brass?
19 “Job, tell us what we should say to God!
We cannot think of what to say because of our ignorance.[a]
20 I would not tell God that I wanted to talk to him.
That would be like asking to be destroyed.
21 A person cannot look at the sun.
It is too bright as it shines in the sky after the wind blows the clouds away.
22 In the same way God’s golden glory shines from the Holy Mountain.[b]
He is surrounded by the brightest light.
23 We have seen that God All-Powerful really is all powerful!
But he is just and never treats anyone unfairly.[c]
24 That is why people fear and respect him.
He shows no respect for those who think they are wise.”
1“The thunder and lightning frighten me;
my heart pounds in my chest.
2 Listen to God’s thundering voice!
Listen to the sound coming from his mouth.
3 He sends his lightning to flash across the whole sky.
It lights up the earth from one end to the other.
4 After the flashes of lightning you can hear his roaring voice.
He thunders with his wonderful voice!
And while his voice thunders, the lightning flashes continue.
5 God’s thundering voice is amazing!
He does great things that we cannot understand.
6 He says to the snow,
‘Fall on the earth.’
And he says to the rain,
‘Pour down on the earth.’
7 God does this to stop everyone’s work
and to show the people he made what he can do.
8 The animals run into their dens and stay there.
9 Whirlwinds come from the south.
The cold winds come from the north.
10 God’s breath makes ice
and freezes even large bodies of water.
11 He fills the clouds with water
and scatters his lightning through them.
12 He orders the clouds to be blown all around the earth.
The clouds do whatever he commands.
13 He causes the clouds to punish people with floods
or to water his earth and show his love.
14 “Job, stop for a minute and listen.
Think about the wonderful things God does.
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds?
Do you know how he makes his lightning flash?
16 Do you know how the clouds hang in the sky?
This is just one of the amazing works of the one who knows everything.
17 All you know is that you sweat, your clothes stick to you,
and all is still and quiet when the heat wave comes from the south.
18 Can you help God spread out the sky
and make it shine like polished brass?
19 “Job, tell us what we should say to God!
We cannot think of what to say because of our ignorance.[a]
20 I would not tell God that I wanted to talk to him.
That would be like asking to be destroyed.
21 A person cannot look at the sun.
It is too bright as it shines in the sky after the wind blows the clouds away.
22 In the same way God’s golden glory shines from the Holy Mountain.[b]
He is surrounded by the brightest light.
23 We have seen that God All-Powerful really is all powerful!
But he is just and never treats anyone unfairly.[c]
24 That is why people fear and respect him.
He shows no respect for those who think they are wise.”
How little I truly know about God? I know God loves me, but I have many of the same issues that unbelievers have, those that don't know God have experienced, and those that have turned against God. Why is that? I don't know. But, I know God loves me. I know God loves you. Together we are going to get through this.
ACTION STEP: I'm not asking you to stand in the rain, in fact stay out of the storm if it's lightning and thundering. At the same time weather the storm. As His disciples it's okay to cry out to Jesus. Jesus may grab our hand and pull us up into His boat, however it may be after we are sinking. So, smile. Storms don't last forever and they make great stories!
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