It’s 3am. I’m awake. Not by choice.
The thunder woke me up. And I don’t mean woke me up gently. It gave little warning. The rumble rose in volume so quickly, as if a freight train had derailed straight towards my house, then with one house-shaking explosion followed by another I felt it’s force. I lay there, heart pounding, body breaking out in a sweat, as the rains begin to pound against the house fiercely.

An experience like this can produce both the emotions of fear and trembling and the responses of awe and reverence towards God. Or vice-versa.

He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark. Job 36:32

The voice of the LORD strikes with bolts of lightning. Psalm 29:7

This particular storm tonight was brief, less than 2 minutes probably, but it got my attention in a most glorious way. As I laid there in the aftermath of such a brilliant display of God’s power I couldn’t help but almost smile as my body laid there trembling in it’s fearful response while my mind awakened with the thought, 

“I want to live for THE God who is able to do THAT”. 

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

I have found much comfort in this verse lately as I’m learning to let go and loosen my grip ever more to Him. This life of surrender does not come naturally in any way… our flesh will fight against surrender until it’s dying breath. MY flesh and MY heart WILL fail, but GOD… BUT GOD. God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

And the same God that fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike, holds my heart. I should fear this God who could strike me dead with such power. Except that Colossians 3:3 reminds me that I have already died.

For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.  Colossians 3:3

I am hidden with Christ in God. What blessed assurance. What joy-filled hope.

For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the
other, so it will be on the day when the Son of Man comes. 
Luke 17:24

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to
understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness
of life and power that comes from God. 
Ephesians 3:19