Phenomenal Cosmic Power

Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said…

”Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me…

Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water?

Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?”

Job 38:1, 3, 34-35 (NIV)

I hate storms. In life and in weather, I am one of those people that craves sunlight. I pray for sunlight. Early one morning, I left my family sleeping at my mom’s (Ma’s) cabin. I had to make a trip back home. It was before dawn but the sky was alight with lightning. Not that I wanted to look up and admire it. The rain was pelting down. I was dodging puddles in my sandals and already worrying about driving alone in such a vicious storm. As I pointed the vehicle towards home, I prayed that the storm would quickly end and bring the sunlight to dry up the land. I had visions of my husband, our children and the dog imprisoned in the cabin to avoid the muck and the rain. I even imagined how glorious the sky would look when Jesus returned and eternity dawned.

As the minutes wore on, I began to get a little frustrated with the LORD. Why was the storm still raging? As I headed south, directly into the heart of the storm, the sheer voltage of the lightning in front of me caught my attention. Chains streaked across the sky while forks appeared to explode towards the ground. Thousands of smaller light bursts seemed to pop behind a sheet of clouds. The sky was alive with power! All of the sudden, I was struck by the account of Job being questioned by God. This was no random scientific occurrence. God was sending these bolts of lightning. They reported to Him and they answered. I became aware of the awesome thunder. It seemed to resonate from the earth beneath me. I shut off my music and asked the LORD about it. What possible reason did He have for orchestrating such a storm? I could think of no good reason – yet the storm still raged.

I couldn’t help but watch the storm. I soon realized that I was leaning forward to take it all in. As the lightning streaked across the sky in a multitude of patterns, I consciously thought “this is better than any 4th of July”! The lightning danced! The thunder boomed! “Good one, LORD”! “Awesome”! I was awestruck!

I was awestruck…how long had it been since I had been in awe of the LORD? The awareness brought shame. “Oh, LORD, how can it have taken 45 minutes of the most magnificent demonstration of power to crack through the hard shell of my heart?” In my heart, I fell on my face before God. I was the reason for the storm. God had choreographed every single flash and thunder for me. “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” (Hebrews 12:28) Too often, my worship has been unacceptable before God. I had needed the storm.

In the words of the popular children’s movie “Aladin”, God had demonstrated “PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWER” yet had chosen “itty, bitty living space” as He dwelt in my heart. How could I not trust the One who commanded the storm with everything? There is nothing that He can’t handle! No problem so big that He can’t solve it. No problem so small that He doesn’t care. He commands the lightning – and it obeys…just so that He can reach deep within me!

As I finished the last miles of my journey, the storm began to subside. I was reluctant for it to go but the reverence and awe remained. I thanked the LORD for the majesty of the storm. I thanked Him that I hadn’t had to share that moment with anyone but Him. I praised Him for His awesome power! I worshiped Him acceptably. What a different perspective I received that day. I had come face to face, as it were, with the Almighty God, the Creator of the Universe, and He had changed me.

I hope to be alive to see the coming of the LORD. I long for the day. But I’m not so sure anymore that it will be on a cloudless day with brilliant sunshine. Perhaps He will come in the midst of a storm.

I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me.

He sends from heaven and saves me…for great is your love,

reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.

Psalm 57:2-3a, 10-11 (NIV)