Monday, April 18, 2011

Thunder and Lightning, BOYS and a Natural Phenomenon

In this campfire story, Thunder and Lightning are two little boys under the age of four, brothers born of the same blood.  They are living in one of the more than fifty orphanages that are scattered about Honduras.  Honduras itself is just a little larger than the American state of Virginia and most of its population is under the age of 19.  Orphans are children stricken by poverty, abandoned, and often abused.  They are hungry.  They are lonely.  They are one in a crowd of many whose heart yearns for the unconditional love and security of a forever family.  Through God's amazing grace and provision, through His refining flame, WE were chosen to be an adoptive family.  We expect to face many trials on our journey to bring Thunder and Lightning home.  Traveling these many many miles, we will have hope as an anchor for our souls.  Though these boys are not growing in my womb and will not be born of my body nor contain one bit of our blood, there is the same longing to see their faces, to kiss their cheeks, to embrace their bodies, to look into their eyes, to hear their voices, to count their fingers and their toes.  There is the same desire, sometimes a desperate yearning, to know them and to love them because God has already written their names on our hearts.  Our love for them is growing there because He is nurturing it with His gentle hand.  The Story of Thunder and Lightning is one of faith, hope, and love discovered along the highway to their homecoming.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."  James1:2

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."  Hebrews 6:19

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."  Ephesians 5:1-2

As I contemplate thunder, a natural phenomenon created by God, I think about the voice of God.  It is loud.  It can be heard for great distances.  In and of itself, it cannot be seen. 

Job 37:5 says, "God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things beyond our understanding."

It is thunder that interupts the comforting sound of a peaceful rain. It is thunder, the voice of God, that can jolt us from our comfort zones leaving us at His mercy, to be used as instruments in His hands to achieve His purposes.  The sound of thunder can break our hearts for what breaks His and empower us to say "yes" to following Him anywhere everytime in every situation.

Lightning, another natural phenomenon created by God, is the visual manifestation of thunder.  It is flames of fire and heat, a great metaphor for the Gospel and the word of God.  Lightning, by nature, has in it "light", light which opens our eyes to sin and our need for a savior.  Lightning also has in it "heat", heat to warm our hearts with love, a burning love for God himself and then for others.  It is lightning that illuminates the darkness of a storm and it is lightning that can make our hearts burn for the truths, promises, and commands of a Heaveny Father.  When you are "on fire" for the Gospel, you allow Him to work through you to do immeasurably more than you can ask or imagine.

Job 36:32 says, "He fills his hand with lightning and commands it to strike its mark."

Just as much as I believe that God does not want us to live in darkness, I also believe that He doesn't want us to live in our comfort zones.  As believers, we should expect to hear the thundering voice of God.  As believers, we should expect to be hit by the flame of His lightning bolt.

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