Between the Lightning and the Thunder

There is always a sense of uneasy anticipation when dark clouds, pregnant with rain, ignite the sky with a flash of lightening. According to the National Weather Service, it is estimated that

there are some 16 million lightning storms in the world every year. Nearly 1,800 thunderstorms are occurring at any one moment around the world.

Most of us pause and begin to count off the seconds, to see how far away the lightening strike was from where we are standing. There is something about that in-between moment where we are conscious of our finite vulnerability. You are aware that something is coming your way that could hurt you, but you don’t know exactly when that will be….only that it is coming.

Thunder can be heard up to 10 miles away from the lightening that creates it. Meteorologists and experts on weather have calculated that lightning can heat the air around it to as much as 60,000 degrees, producing incredible sound waves by the quick expansion of the heated air. That would be hot enough to fuse silica sand into glass channels known as fulgurites which are normally hollow and can extend some distance into the ground.

Light travels at 186,000 miles per second, so we see lightening the very instant that it flashes. Sound travels a mile in 5 seconds, if 20 seconds elapse between the lightning bolt flash, and the deafening boom of the thunder, then the lightning struck 4 miles away. Any closer would be a warning that the potential of a lightning strike hitting you could be imminent, and that it is time to seek immediate shelter. When there are successive lightning strikes, it means that they are often 2 to 3 miles apart, so it is wise to get to safety.

The 30 / 30 Rule

If you can only count 30 seconds before you hear the thunder, get into shelter for at least 30 minutes. When the lightning is very nearby, you can actually hear a snap or pistol shot sound that is followed by a sizzle that is followed by the smell of ozone. The snap-sizzle sound is not called “thunder” since it doesn’t really sound like the rolling, booming, thundering sound.


The Warning between the Lightning and the Thunder

Be Aware of the Coming Storm

A coming storm always begins with clouds on the horizon. Times of trouble will inevitably come our way. Trials have a way of confronting what we depend upon when times are tough: God or ourselves. When we let our guard down and become undisciplined in our seeking God in The Quiet Place, we tend to become careless in our lives and get caught unaware when a storm crashes down upon us. 

Prepare for the Coming storm

People sometimes spend an enormous amount of energy and money in their desire to be best prepared for a coming storm. The recent reports of hurricanes and tornadoes challenge everyone that lives within the storm regions to be prepared. Sometimes no matter how well you are prepared, storms can hit with very little warning. In a few terrifying moments, the destruction of a tornado can literally tear a person's world to shreds.

The best way to prepare for a coming life storm is to study, meditate upon and memorize the Word of God. The more we do it, the easier it is to lock those truths into long term memory.  The Spirit of God will bring God's promises into your mind before the full brunt of the storm hits. The more we are immersed in the Scriptures, the more prepared we will be.

Seek God’s Wisdom for the Coming Storm

One of God’s great desires is to see this characteristic fused solidly with our lives.


“Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.” Psalm 51:5-7

When specific storms are building upon the horizon of our lives, it is critical to seek God, and ask Him for insight and direction, as to how best to deal with what is coming our way.

“…that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." Colossians 1:9-10

People all over the world are facing intense and life shattering storms every moment of every day. Pending layoffs at work, threats of foreclosure, mounting financial pressures, and health related issues are common to everyone today no matter how prepared we may be. That is because in life, there is very little that we have any absolute control over. Between the lightning and the thunder one must seek God for wisdom as to how to respond Biblically to the coming storm and thereby glorify Him in the midst of it.

The Caution between the Lightning and the Thunder

There is a Tendency to Ignore the Signs

It is a strange phenomenon, but we often ignore the warning signs that a storm is coming our way. We reason that storms have happened in the past and we made it through, so why get so frantic about it. History abounds with examples of people who have ignored the warning signs between the lightning and the thunder to their peril.


“For wisdom is protection....the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.” Ecclesiastes 7:12

James wrote about the need to seek God for wisdom, especially when undergoing times of trouble:

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:4-6
  
There is a Tendency to be Unprepared

Procrastination: “to put off intentionally and habitually, the doing of something that should be done.” The Oxford English Dictionary identifies that at the root of procrastination is delay. “It is the postponement of something often with the sense of deferring though indecision, when early action would have been preferable," or as "defer[ing] action, especially without good reason." 

Sometimes the storm upon the horizon is there because we caused it. Impulsive decisions, acting on unwise counsel, and a stubbornness to do it our way, may have created consequences that are dire, and may have a negative and costly impact upon our lives. In times like this, we need to trust God’s merciful grace, and with a repentant humility, humbly ride it through, whatever it may be. God in His mercy may lighten the impact of the storm, but the hail will still do it’s damage.

The contrast between wise planning and poor planning is seen in the story Jesus told regarding the wise and unwise builder:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” Matthew 7:23-27

There is a Tendency to not seek God for Wisdom

Between the lightening and the thunder, there is a tendency for most people to respond without seeking God’s wisdom, and then wonder how things got into such a great mess.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes;Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” Proverbs 3:7

Be Faithful between the Lightning and the Thunder

There is the Reality of Danger 

There is a free App for your smart phone that is called Lightening Locator, that allows you to accurately measure the distance where the lightening actually struck.

The issue is not necessarily where the last lightening struck, but to know how to respond to the one that is coming.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

There is a Need to Trust God

Between the lightning and the thunder, the test will be upon what it is that you lean on, to give you strength, other than God.
 
“When you get to the end of all the light you know and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of

two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.” Edward Teller

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.” Psalm 28:7

There is a Need to Praise God
  
An attitude of thankfulness is intricately linked with trusting God, for it is the consequent act of praising Him in the midst of the storm.

“…Therefore, (because I trust in Him between the lightning and the thunder) my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.” Psalm 28:7

Don't be Afraid between the Lightning and the Thunder

God is Sovereign

“When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path.” Psalm 142:3

God can be trusted

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2

God is Faithful

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness by night.” Psalm 92:1-2

The psalmist understood this principle and wrote wisely:

“I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.  O may Your lovingkindness comfort me (be my comfort), According to Your word (or promise) to Your servant.” Psalm 119:75-76

Between the lightning and the thunder kneel in The Quiet Place, and give it to God, whatever it may be, and trust Him to walk with you though it.

Remember that the will of God will never lead you, where the grace of God Cannot keep you. He will be right there with you, between the lightning and the thunder.

Take a few moments and listen to this encouraging music video by Casting Crowns "Praise you in this Storm."

Trusting God in the Midst of the Storm

Every year there are numerous storms that rage across the landscapes of the world. So far this year, the Colorado State University Meteorologist Forecaster’s Team anticipates 17 tropical storms, with nine of those becoming hurricanes during the season that runs from June 1 to November 30. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, anticipate that 2014 will see an increase in storms lacing across the regions of the world in the form of Cyclones, Typhoons, Monsoons, and Hurricanes. The NOAA Climate Prediction Center regularly updates the hurricane outlook predictions. (http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/)



Cyclonic Storms around the World

The Hurricane 

A hurricane is a powerful, rotating storm that forms over warm oceans near the equator in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, or the eastern Pacific Ocean. 

The Severe Tropical Cyclone

A cyclone is a closed, rotating wind. Cyclones rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Typhoon

A typhoon is a violent tropical cyclonic storm that forms in the Western Pacific Ocean. It derives its name from the Chinese word taaîfung, which means Great Whirling Wind.

Life Storms hit Everyone 

Everywhere we look there are multitudes of recurrent Life Storms that are raging across people’s lives. These unexpected events impact financial resources, destabilize a family's economic security, and in some cases greatly affect their capacity to survive. Life Storms crash into us in recurring waves, just like the great whirling winds of cyclonic storms. 


Each wave envelopes us before we have fully recovered from the impact of the previous one. We often continue to cope with each storm the very same way we did the last one. We hunker down, hang on and try to survive the onslaught of the storm. It may be a death in the family, the foreclosure of the family home, the collapse of a business, or any number of tragic events.

Life Storms can Transform our Faith

You may think that God is punishing you, or isn’t taking care of you, but life storms hit everyone, and they often come without advance notice. When a storm hits your life, after a period of intensity, there will always be a period of calm. It often does not mean that the storm is over, for you just might be standing in the eye of the storm. Without tough times, faith does not grow. Stormy trials are periodic disruptions in our life to keep our faith riveted in God, and not our financial portfolio, our financial consultant, our 401 k or anything else that can easily become a false god in our lives.


In the Eye of the Storm
 

“On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 

"And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”  Mark 4:35-41

Restore your Faith in God

 Like a howling hurricane, whose counterclockwise motion goes in a circle in the opposite direction from the way a clock moves, Life Storms cause us think through problem solving impulsively, irrationally and often not Biblically. The Devil likes to make us dizzy, overwhelmed, and confused during a Life Storm. 

Jesus had told the disciples,“Let us go over to the other side."

They kept their eyes on the storm instead of holding firm to the promise of His word to them. He promised that they would make it to the other side, He just didn't mention that  a storm would hit them on the way to test their faith.

Surrounding the eye of the storm is the eyewall. It is a band of thunder clouds. The eyewall has the most rain and the strongest winds of the storm, gusting up to 225 mph.

The devil wants us to try to break through the wall of the storm in our own strength, or run away from it. That would be disastrous. Stand firm in the Eye of the Storm and look straight up, and you will see the sun shining in the sky above. Storms are not something that God cannot see you through. God will always show us how to respond Biblically in any situation. The details may vary, but principles from His Word do not (See Proverbs 3:5-6).

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. “ Psalm 119:105

Renew your Strength


In The Quiet Place we are able to draw strength from God’s presence, and be renewed through His Word. Give the burden of your Life Storm to God and lay it down at the Throne of Grace. (See I Peter 5:7; Hebrews 4:16) 

It becomes a way of thinking the more we practice the presence of God in our prayer life. It is a discipline of being present in His presence, no matter what is going on around us.

 

“My life dissolves and weeps itself away for heaviness; raise me up and strengthen me according to [ the promises of ] Your Word.”  Psalm 119:27-28 (AMP) 

Even the beginning of new seed faith in our trust in God gives spiritual awakening in our heart and produces renewed faith.

Pray to God to give you strength today for whatever Life Storm that you are going through. “In the day when I cried you answered me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul.” Psalm 138:3

Rest in His Word

There is a calm assurance that comes to one who has trusted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. That confidence comes through our daily time of worship in The Quiet Place as we pray and read the Scriptures. 

“Remember the Word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your Word has revived me.” Psalm 119:49-51

God will reveal how to get through the Life Storms that crash in upon any of us. He calls us to spend time with Him in The Quiet Place. He will show us how to stand firm in the Eye of the Storm, strengthened in our faith as we trust in His Word, to show us the way. God will always be faithful.

Take a few moments to listen to this very inspirational video. Remember, there is no storm so great, that takes God by surprise....He is right there...reach out to Him.

 
                                             


My new book for the storms in your life:

One of the most challenging times in our life often comes when we find ourselves on the edge of facing a distressing life storm for which we feel completely unprepared, and inadequate to deal with it. As the storm builds with intensity upon the horizon, we know we are at the very edge of our ability to cope, our capacity to access urgently needed inner resources, and we desperately need our faith to see us through.

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