The Voice in the Storm

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1        Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings,

    ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

2        Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;

    worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

3        The voice of the LORD is over the waters;

    the God of glory thunders,

    the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

4        The voice of the LORD is powerful;

    the voice of the LORD is majestic.

5        The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;

    the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

6        He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,

    Sirion like a young wild ox.

7        The voice of the LORD strikes

    with flashes of lightning.

8        The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;

    the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

9        The voice of the LORD twists the oaks

    and strips the forests bare.

And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

10      The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;

    the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

11      The LORD gives strength to his people;

    the LORD blesses his people with peace. (Psalm 29, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

I love a good storm. I love watching the clouds build, feeling the winds change, smelling the scent of rain, and hearing the distant thunder. I love it when the barometric pressure drops and a cool, strong wind rushes forward, causing the trees to dance about wildly. I love it when the thunder booms and the lightning crashes. I love it when the skies open up and issue forth a deluge… followed by a slow, steady rain… followed by a light drizzle… followed by the parting of the skies and the bursting forth of the sun. I love to sit on the porch with a cup of coffee, taking in the sights, sounds, and scents of the storm. In a strange sort of way, rainstorms bring peace to my soul.

Psalm 29 is a description of a storm. I suppose David was out in the fields or in a cave when this storm came. He saw the power of God in the turbulence. Before it started, he said, “Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness” (verses 1–2). In the midst of the storm, David was concerned about God’s glory.

Perhaps he saw the clouds gathering and began thinking about all the storms that had entered his life over the years. The physical storm perhaps led him to reflect on the figurative storms that had followed him from the time Samuel anointed him as king of Israel. Powerful military foes like Goliath… the jealousy of his own brothers… the murderous rage of King Saul… the schemes and accusations of political adversaries… the struggle to consolidate the kingdom… the repercussions of his sinful desires… the chaos and mess that was his family… the ambitions of his son, Absalom… and on and on. But through it all, David's foremost concern was the glory of God.

As I read this psalm, I reflect upon the many storms that have come into my life over the years. The chaotic struggles of my teenage years… the physical and emotional trauma of paralysis… the internal struggle to overcome stigmas… the despair of loneliness… the wilderness of singlehood… the fog of purposelessness… the shock of miscarriage… the ups and downs of foster parenting… the constant financial strain… and on and on.

And then the question came to my mind: Am I, like David, concerned about the glory of God? What about you? When you see clouds gathering and know that a storm is about to come into your life, do you think about the glory of God? David did. But, so often I don’t. If you're anything like me, you think of escape rather than the glory of God. But, oftentimes, the storms lead to a greater vision of God's glory—the glory that we will only see if we go through the storm.

In verses 3–9 David describes the storm. “The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; … the voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic” (verses 3–4). He saw the lightning and heard the thunder. The sequence here is rather interesting. “The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars, … the voice of the LORD shakes the desert; … the voice of the LORD twists the oaks” (verses 5, 8–9). God’s voice can break and shake and twist even the strongest of things. His voice is powerful and majestic. By the power of his voice, he created all things. By the power of his voice, he can destroy the most daunting of obstacles—seemingly unbreakable “cedars,” seemingly impassable “deserts,” seemingly indestructible “oaks.”

David ends the psalm by acknowledging God’s sovereignty. He is King forever. “The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever” (verse 10). God is sovereign today. Don’t be afraid of the storm. Just look for his glory and his powerful presence.

God often speaks to you in the storm. The next time you find yourself in a storm, listen for his voice. Look for his glory and power and be reminded that he is in control.

PRAYER:

We ascribe glory to you, this day, O Lord! We ascribe power and strength and splendor and honor and praise to your name, O mighty King! You are our sovereign God! We rejoice to be your people, your treasured possession, your beloved sons and daughters. In the midst of life's storms, bless us with your peace. Speak your peace into our hearts and fill us with your strength. We look to you, Almighty King.

WHO AM I?

I am Tres Sansom, and I apologize if today's devotional seems all over the place. I'm currently dealing with an illness of some sorts. I've been taking some Tylenol and other cold/flu medicines. When you mix those meds with the muscle relaxers I normally take for spasticity, you get one doped up crippled dude. Currently, my head feels like I'm orbiting Saturn. So, please excuse any outside of the ordinary ramblings.