What Do You Hear in the Thunder?
August 09, 2022
What Do You Hear in the Thunder?
By Sally Lombardo
“For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken. The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again.” (Isaiah 24:18b-20).
Enhance today’s devotional by reading Isaiah 24:13-18a, 21-23)
I recently sat in the rustic kitchen of a Mexican village home and listened to heavy rain and loud thunder. The town was high up in the mountains, so the thunder rolled through the area and seemed to echo off the opposite side of the valley. Dark clouds gave warning rumbles and then clapped loudly while the rain fell. Everything looked frozen in time, and no one was walking the streets, shopping, or hurrying home. Thunder seems ominous, and lightning is scary for a good reason.
Giant storms provide a good image of the floodgates opened by heaven. Gentle rain is soothing and peaceful, but the noise of thunder shatters our illusion that nothing can ever overwhelm our best-laid plans. As I wrote this, I remembered a verse I read once from Jeremiah 25:30: “The Lord will roar from on high; he will thunder from his holy dwelling and roar mightily against his land” (NIV). Thunder serves as an excellent analogy to how we hear God speaking in ways that disrupt our sense of control. Disasters in our lives are like thunderstorms that dismantle our defenses, alerting us to danger. Red flags in relationships warn us that we should look more closely at the dynamics before things worsen. They let us know we might need to adjust, forgive, or even let go.
Thank goodness God created us to have ears to hear thunder roar and eyes to see when the earth is dry, thirsty, and splitting. We have intuition that tells us when our lives have been torn apart by things we have done or changed by things we cannot predict. Later in Isaiah, we will learn if we stay faithful to God, He will “rebuild the ancient ruins and raise up the age-old foundations” (58:12 NIV). I need many of my ancient ruins restored. I especially like the prophecy in the rest of that verse, “You will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.’”(NIV) If we look at our lives, we can see the Lord is already at work.
Reflection:
What are some floodgates that have opened in your life, and how do you seek God when life thunders? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Recommended Resource:
Why is trust so difficult? Unlike all the broken promises of this world, God’s redeeming promises are absolute, trustworthy, and true. The covenants of God afford us with abundant reasons to trust God with his plan for our lives. Trusting God: Redeeming Promises of the Word small group Bible study explores the six major redeeming promises of God found in his Word. Learn more about God’s commitment to his people, the nature of a covenant, and how you can find your security in being a child of God’s redeeming promises. Learn more about God’s promises today.
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