As the violent storms raged through the night, I’ll admit there was a few times when I was afraid. Especially when the lightning flashed rapidly, the wind howled and the thunder shook my house. During the intensity of the storm, I realized there was nowhere for us to go. There was no place that would be totally safe. Compared to the greatness of the storm, we are all so small and vulnerable. We are all in the hands of God and at His mercy.
Seeing the storm in the midst of its fury showed me a glimpse of God’s power. God is so absolutely wonderful to us all. He is longsuffering and so very merciful. However, there are times when His mercy expires and He transforms into a terrible God. And there is no one to protect us from His wrath when it is unleashed. There’s not a basement deep enough to hide nor a mountain high enough to climb. God’s arms are not shortened so that He can’t reach us wherever we are.
Every since I was a little girl, I have always imagined God’s anger when it stormed; warnings and pleas for us to open our eyes and change our ways. Whether or not there’s any truth to it I don’t know, but I do know that I don’t want to do anything to kindle God’s anger on me. I don’t want to do anything to force God to punish me or to get my attention.
Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying. I certainly can’t speak for God nor am I trying to say when a natural disaster strikes or an illness occurs that it is because someone is being punished. Only God knows why things happen to us. But I will say this; I’d rather suffer for God than to suffer for my disobedience.
And storms can come in many different forms. Sometimes it is on the inside. It can be fear, worry, illness, grief, doubt, self-consciousness, anxiety, depression, etc. It can all seem so hopeless and overwhelming at times. And sometimes I believe God uses these things to open our eyes.
Whether it is a tornado, which skipped your house while it took out the rest of the neighborhood, or disease growing inside your body, there’s nothing quite as surreal as being faced with the possibility that it could take your life. It puts everything into perspective and makes everything look different. It puts a whole new meaning on the word time.
Have you ever noticed how beautiful and bright the sun is after the darkness of a storm? Or how sweet your child’s arms feel when you realize you might never have another opportunity to bask in the wonderfulness of a hug? We always think we have more time and take so much of the precious time God gives us for granted.
That’s why I believe we should take every opportunity that God gives us and use it. God wants us to put Him first in our lives, but He also wants us to enjoy life. He wants us to gather our children in our arms and hug them every chance we get. He wants us to tell and show people we love them every day. He wants us to laugh and smile and enjoy the beauty He created for us. He wants us to do whatever He places on our hearts right then. Let’s face it friends, tomorrow might not come for us.