All Flash But No Bang
Last night I watched a thunderstorm brewing out of the northwest. In the night sky I saw lightning flashing in the clouds and occasionally I saw bolts hitting the ground through a blurred veil of rain on the horizon. It was beautiful as I watched the lights and streaks in the sky but something was missing. There wasn't any thunder, not even delayed thunder. The storm seemed to be "all flash but no bang." Of course, once the storm reached our town, the lightning and thunder did their usual synchronized flash-bang thing as the rain came down.
There is something impressive about the whole package when a storm brings the brightness of the lightning and the powerful resonance of the booming thunder as the nourishing rain brings new life. Somehow it seems the pounding of the thunder reinforces to me that something powerful is happening. Though I can see the flashing light and can feel the falling rain, I still desire to have my core rocked by the explosions of sound. I want to feel in the thunder the sound of the lightning releasing its powerful electrical charge. So lastnight, I was a little disappointed that I didn't hear the thunder.
I am not doubting the awesomeness of God or questioning His methods of storm production. But I have to ask myself: Why wasn't the display of power in the lightning good enough to bring my praise for God? Why wasn't the knowledge that the much needed rain was falling on drought scorched earth worthy of my thanks? God can do what He wants and will still be worthy of my praise, even though I may fail to give it to Him enough.
Hmm...even though I may fail to give it to Him enough.
Isn't thunder a reaction to the power of the lightning? Thunder, in nature, is an audible sound produced because of the release of the electrical charge in lightning. I wonder: how many times in my spiritual experience have there been times of "all flash but no bang?" Was God disappointed when He didn't hear my respondsive thunderous praise when He was displaying His power in my life? God was moving because lightning was visible as He released His power and the rain could be felt as He poured His nourishing love and strength in my life. Somehow I missed experiencing the thunder. But was this God's fault?
Could it be, spiritually speaking, that praise is like the thunder heard in response to God's power being released? Maybe the praise, or the thunder, should come from those being affected by God's power. It could be that sometimes in my life I haven't praised God as I should or loud enough when I could as His power and blessings were being released in my life.
I want to experience thunder in my life and I think God wants to experience my thunderous praise of His movement in my life. If the pounding of the my praise to God reinforces my admission that something powerful is happening, I need to be more respondsive in my praise.
Because I know God's power is working in my life, May I become the thunder to God's lightning.
There is something impressive about the whole package when a storm brings the brightness of the lightning and the powerful resonance of the booming thunder as the nourishing rain brings new life. Somehow it seems the pounding of the thunder reinforces to me that something powerful is happening. Though I can see the flashing light and can feel the falling rain, I still desire to have my core rocked by the explosions of sound. I want to feel in the thunder the sound of the lightning releasing its powerful electrical charge. So lastnight, I was a little disappointed that I didn't hear the thunder.
I am not doubting the awesomeness of God or questioning His methods of storm production. But I have to ask myself: Why wasn't the display of power in the lightning good enough to bring my praise for God? Why wasn't the knowledge that the much needed rain was falling on drought scorched earth worthy of my thanks? God can do what He wants and will still be worthy of my praise, even though I may fail to give it to Him enough.
Hmm...even though I may fail to give it to Him enough.
Isn't thunder a reaction to the power of the lightning? Thunder, in nature, is an audible sound produced because of the release of the electrical charge in lightning. I wonder: how many times in my spiritual experience have there been times of "all flash but no bang?" Was God disappointed when He didn't hear my respondsive thunderous praise when He was displaying His power in my life? God was moving because lightning was visible as He released His power and the rain could be felt as He poured His nourishing love and strength in my life. Somehow I missed experiencing the thunder. But was this God's fault?
Could it be, spiritually speaking, that praise is like the thunder heard in response to God's power being released? Maybe the praise, or the thunder, should come from those being affected by God's power. It could be that sometimes in my life I haven't praised God as I should or loud enough when I could as His power and blessings were being released in my life.
I want to experience thunder in my life and I think God wants to experience my thunderous praise of His movement in my life. If the pounding of the my praise to God reinforces my admission that something powerful is happening, I need to be more respondsive in my praise.
Because I know God's power is working in my life, May I become the thunder to God's lightning.
posted by Sojourner at 11:47 AM
2 Comments:
...appreciate your thoughts.
I feel this way often..."all flash and no bang!"
..."at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy"...Psl. 27:6 Wait a minute! Who shouts for joy? No one I know or see in corporate worship shouts for joy. God forgive us...you do deserve for every fiber of our being to praise You. You are worthy!
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