Roll of Thunder

Today, it’s storming outside. The thunder is roaring louder than lions, jet planes, and trains on tracks combined. It makes me feel at peace, and reminds me of a time of innocence. When it would thunder like this, as a kid, my grandmother would turn off all the lights and the televisions, unplug the phones, and say, “Hush child, that’s God talking.” I would sit still for about fifteen minutes, and then try to ease my way back into conversation about questions that danced around in my head. Each time, she would repeat the phrase, and the cycle would continue until I either fell asleep or the storm ended. I miss those days.

My grandma lives about 8 hours away now, and sometimes during storms, I call her and mention casually that its thundering and lightening outside, just to hear her say, “Hush child. That’s God talking. Get off this phone.” The phrase means something a little different to me now, and I’ve taken it to apply it not just to storms literally, but to problems (storms) that may arise in my everyday life. Any time, there is a storm brewing, I need to take the time to focus on the bigger picture that Heavenly Papa has planned.  

Whatever you want to call that tumultuous period in your life: storms, wilderness, mountains, rock bottom, etc., it is a time that Heavenly Papa is warning you to slow down, seek him, and see the bigger picture. I’m not sure if my grandma knows exactly how her words help to guide me through, but I now know that in the midst of a storm, I need to not focus on external factors that make up the storm, but be sure to hone into God and learn how to benefit from the storm.

I had the opportunity to watch the movie “Focus on the Family: Irreplaceable” in which the overall message was that we as people are all broken and it is through our broken state in which we can be redeemed. Redemption is the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil. The documentary made a valid point when it affirmed that in order to become one with our Heavenly Papa, we have to go through pain and suffering, because if we are not tempted, broken, or in a constant state of loss, then  everything is perfect. In a perfect world, there is no need for redemption.

 

Storms are not only reminiscent of our struggles that force us to transcend, but they also reflect the relationship that our Heavenly Papa has with humanity. It’s this ongoing cycle; the reason behind our imperfections. Heavenly Papa gave us free will so that only those who truly believe in him and love him will be able to spend eternity with him in Heaven. When he administered that right, he knew that he would be opening himself up to disappointment because he’d expect everyone to follow him willingly, but he knew it would not be the case. I like to think that every time it rains, Heavenly Papa is shedding his frustrations with mankind, just like he did in Genesis 7:1,4 when he recognized that Noah “[was] righteous before [Him] in this generation,” and made the decision to “cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and destroy from the face of the earth all living things that [he had] made.” While he is not sending great floods, thunderstorms reminds us that he is present and we need to seek him. Those who truly believe will “hush and listen.”