The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.
The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
Sirion[b] like a young wild ox.
The voice of the LORD strikes
with flashes of lightning.
The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;
the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
The voice of the LORD twists the oaks
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
(Psalm 29:3-9)

I awoke earlier this morning aware of something going on outside, but as my head cleared, I could not tell what it was. I turned over in bed to rest for a few minutes and thought I saw a light flashing in the room, yet when I opened my eyes, nothing was there. I thought to myself, “I am having some wild dreams this morning.” Barely had the thought crossed my mind, when I heard the loud crash of thunder. I smiled, waiting to enjoy more of the show as the words of Psalm 29 came to mind.

I love this Psalm, possibly because I love thunderstorms. I recognized that these powerful weather events cause great damage and sometimes, even death. I know that their power must be respected, but I cannot help but be awestruck by their majesty. I am always impressed, and strangely comforted in the storm.

I credit my mother with my feelings about thunderstorms. She always enjoyed them, and when I was very young, she wanted to be sure that I was not afraid as the lightning flashed and the thunder roared around our home. She would open the curtains of our large front window and hold me in her arms as we watched the glorious show nature was providing. Since then, I’ve always equated thunderstorms with a sense of wonder and of peace. The simple act my mother took, gave me the ability to rest comfortably in the midst of the storm around me.

I cannot help but think that the Psalmist must have had some similar feelings as he watched the storm form over the water and make its way toward him. I can hear the wonder in his words as he reveled in the “voice of the Lord.” He too respected the power that was in the storm, but he also saw God there as well, and it was ultimately God’s power that captivated him.

My experience with the storm this morning started me thinking about other storms in my life, the personal ones that seem so hard to pass through. I began to wonder if I could not learn something from my feelings in the physical storms that could strengthen me in the personal ones. Could it be, that just like in the times of lightning and thunder, God is present in the midst of my personal storms and that they might be moments designed to open my eyes to his presence in my life? Could God be calling me to stand at the window of my life and be awed by the storm around me while affirming my safety at the same time? Could it be, that in the midst of my greatest storms, God, like my mother, is holding on to me to comfort me, remove my fear, and assure me that everything is in his hands?

As I continue to ponder what the Holy Spirit is saying to me out of my experience, I believe that the answer to all three of these questions is a resounding, “Yes!” God is in the midst of the storm. God is calling me to trust. God is holding on to me so that the storm will not overtake me. I doubt that I will ever come to a point where I will anticipate storms in my personal life quite the way I look forward to a good thunderstorm, but I do believe that God can give me new eyes to see those storms in a new way; a way based upon God’s awesome power and my trust in God.

All of us face storms in our lives. Maybe the question before us is, can we see God in the midst of our storm? I’ve often thought about the disciples facing the storm as they tried to keep their boat afloat, while Jesus slept in the back. Of course, the story ends with them waking him and his word calming the storm, but I wonder, was this the opportunity for them to ride out the storm of their lives knowing they were safe with the Son of God in the midst of the storm with them.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, said on his deathbed, “the best is God is with us.” Maybe that is all we need to know to be strong in the face of our storms.