A Moment To Praise 7.13.20
Joyce Lochinger, Gravel Hill Worship Leader
Recharging…
I’m writing this devotion on July 5 so I will share with you a little about our long weekend. We had a quiet 4th of July! It was extremely relaxing and quite a necessary time to chill and recharge my “batteries”. It was so nice! I hope you enjoyed the same.
Hmmm, wait a minute! Now that I think about it, I suppose that I should amend my initial statement to say: Our 4th of July was peaceful and quiet until about 10pm. That’s when the neighborhood skies lit up, well, like a firecracker!
It was amazing. The neighbors behind us as well as to the right of us had a ton of fireworks going off. They brightened the sky and were so colorful and beautiful. It was truly a nice end to a relaxing day…but it was certainly not quiet! 🙂
Power
I realize though that I don’t usually opt for the quiet things in life. Amusement parks, loud family gatherings where everyone talks at once, the sound of kids laughing and playing, and watching and hearing summer storms are all things I enjoy. I enjoy the sound of thunder and rainfall in the same way I enjoyed the neighborhood fireworks.
I marvel at the vision of the night sky lighting up with heavenly flashes and loud booms of thunder. The rain pouring down; a gentle cadence from nature. It’s incredible to watch the earth seemingly halt in activity and wait as the mighty force of God rolls through. This verse describes how I feel on my porch during these types of heavenly displays:
Jeremiah 10:12-13 –Â Â It is He who made the earth by His power,
Who established the world by His wisdom;
And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens.
When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,
And He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain,
And brings out the wind from His storehouses.
Beauty
Speaking of such storms, my family alongside my sister’s family have made many vacation trips to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. On these trips, we have seen our fair share of God’s power in nature at work. We have experienced beautiful sunsets and lovely hot days with vibrant blue skies. We’ve seen dolphins jumping and turtles swimming to catch pieces of tossed bread that my 5 great nephews love to throw into the water.
These are all lovely beach memories. However, we have also weathered a water spout that started in the ocean (while we were boogie boarding!) that headed to land in a frightening display of power. We’ve been caught in several unexpected thunderstorms that just seem to roll in unannounced. Lastly, we have been forced to shelter in place through two mild hurricanes. We’ve had some wild vacations!
Interestingly, I’ve realized that after each of these storms, one thing has always remained true: there is such beauty after the darkness. The storms create gorgeous, even more vibrant sunsets. They create beautiful waves and wash awesome shells ashore. It seems that nature had to get all of the storminess out of its system before revealing even further beauty.
A Moment To Praise 7.13.20 in Scripture
It reminds me to always remember this scripture: Luke 8:22-25
Our lives are full of storms and things that we don’t think we will survive. Life is full of events that cause our “batteries” to run low. During all of our times of storm, we must remember to call out to God for help, and then sit back and watch as He works things out. We also must have patience that all of the lightning and thunder we are experiencing will lead to beauty and hope.
God brought all of the earth into being and He has a vested interest in it and those of us who inhabit it. We must always believe that He is working things out for His glory and good…and for beauty! Be patient. Be prayerful. Take joy in His power and might, and let it rule over the storms in your life.
A Moment To Praise 7.13.20 in Song
Enjoy this song.
It is a modern take on the original, which a contemporary Christian artist named Rich Mullens recorded in 1988. It has always been one of my favorite songs. I have attached the original as well (https://youtu.be/kCTNaPFkqUM) so you can enjoy both versions. Remember that God is always in control!
Amen!
