| You don’t read Psalm 29 and not think of the voice of God. There is much to say about it, according to the psalmist. It is powerful and magestic. It is over the waters. It breaks the cedars, flashes forth flames of fire and shakes the wilderness. Oaks whirl because of God’s voice. As I read the psalm today, I imagined David saw a storm that inspired him. I’m a storm watcher. I love lightning shows in the sky. Watching the wind blow and rain fall are moments of awe for me. I even have a video of my kids picking bananas from a neighbor’s tree that fell into our yard during a hurricane. I imagine as David watched that storm he thought of others he endured. He couldn’t help but think of God’s power and might. Nothing in creation escapes a storm’s impact.And nothing in creation is beyond God’s power. The psalm ends with a specific prayer: May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!Today, I’m reflecting on how both of those gifts–strength and peace–affirm God’s power to us and allow us to endure our storms. Now, I’m speaking of storms metaphorically. Nature isn’t the only thing that creates storms. We’re pretty good at doing that ourselves. As we unfold the events of another school shooting, if sure feels like we’re in another one. Or maybe one gigantic, ongoing disturbance.In one sense, then, I’m grateful for God’s strength and peace because I’ve needed both in my storms. Strength to get through and peace to endure. We don’t always know how strong God has made us until we have to be. And when you know God’s peace, you know that feeling of not knowing how you’re okay, but you are.At the same time, we know the power of God’s voice by what we see God do. The psalmist did. So, can we not also consider how God’s strength and peace empower us to do something as well? Let’s think again of nature’s storms. You don’t merely get through a storm. You prepare for it. You understand the dangers and act accordingly. There is something you do.In our storms (metaphorically again), what are we going to do with this strength God has given us? Merely endure? Or will we use it to do what is scary and what is right? And will we let God’s peace strengthen our resolve to take better care of each other? Stay blessed…john |
John Fletcher
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