This morning we woke up to a rare, beautiful August rainstorm. Our room was unusually dark and the sounds of the shower on the roof were like a salve. Delicious was the first word that came to my mind, and I don’t know that I’ve ever been more comfortable, lying there in the grey morning with Chad’s arm wound tight around me, a gentle start to another day.
But, after a few minutes of booming thunder, Emerald began calling me from her room. I waited just a few minutes, hoping she would go back to sleep. But, as the thunder grew louder, her voice took on an edge of panic, and I quickly got up and tiptoed to her room.
She looked worried.
I held her close and after a few minutes we settled in on the couch with blankets and snacks and a movie about a mermaid to distract us from the continuous booming outside. I noticed she was getting closer and closer to me as we sat there together. Finally, she snuggled right up next to me and whispered, Mama, just don’t think about the thunder.
Somehow she felt that if she could just concentrate hard enough on what was right in front of her: a dry house, a warm blanket, a devoted mama, a sparkling mermaid, she could push down her fear of what was going on outside. Even though it sounded like her world was about to crash down on top of her, the reality was that she was completely safe, completely loved and protected, completely sheltered from the loud goings-on outside our door.
Pretty soon the storm passed by and I felt the brown west Texas earth heave a sigh. God sent a storm just when we needed it–with the thunder came the rain. Lots of it. And, it revived a thirsty land.
We are living in such strange times. I suppose every generation has felt that way. Each wave of humanity sees change after change, and as “progress” marches on, sometimes we feel like mankind is moving backward instead of forward. I have felt that way lately. This place is loud and it is scary. Now and then it makes me feel like the whole world is going to tumble down with a big crash.
But, then I remember.
I look at what’s right in front of me, and I concentrate on how perfectly loved, perfectly protected, perfectly sheltered that I am. The world may very well wreck itself one of these days, but when I am safely sheltered in the arms of my Savior, nothing that’s going on outside of that can touch me. Even if I don’t make it through another day on this loud, rumbling planet. Still, I am okay. I will always be okay.
Maybe God is sending a storm our way. Maybe we are hearing the distant thunder that will eventually turn into a raging tempest. But, whatever happens in our lifetime, we can always cling to this truth: if God sends a storm, it will be just when we need it. With the loud, scary cracks of thunder always comes His glorious, soaking rain.
And, I’ve never seen a world more in need of a little reviving.
When storms rage in our hearts and minds, when a crash of thunder just about brings us to our knees, let’s take a little piece of advice from a four year old. Just don’t think about the thunder.
He is as near as a warm mama on a cozy couch. Lean into Him and let the storm roll on by.
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:39-40
He knows my frame. Thanks for putting into words the things we feel, and reminding us of who we are in Him.
Such perfect timing! I have been very discouraged lately about all the “noise” and worry what sort of world my kids will live in. I needed this reassuring reminder of God’s promises.