AT THE WATER’S EDGE:

I’m not much of a poet, but in college I had to take a creative writing class which involved writing LOTS of poetry, among other things.  One of the poems I wrote was about thunderstorms—where I tried to capture my simultaneous fear and fascination of storms.  I do get legitimately freaked out at a big storm, particularly when there’s a threat of a tornado.  Yet I long to look, to see the stirring of the clouds and the powerful hand of God behind it all.  Here’s how brief poem went:


The lightning flashes, 
Illuminating the sky with wisdom.
The thunder bellows, 
Trembling the terrain by omnipotence.
Fearsome, exciting
Intimidating, yet somehow calming.
My heart pounds thump-thump.
My soul stills watching in awesome wonder,
Stiff with timid fear.
I cannot control the storm; But He can.

I was reminded of this poem the other day as a violent storm was rolling in.  I was out in my garden after coming home from work, and the sky was still partly sunny.  After spending a few minutes looking for new growth from my seedlings, I looked up at the sky and noticed dark storm clouds looming in the distance.  Not more than a few minutes later the clouds were over my back yard.  The wind suddenly picked up and the clouds began to swirl.  I snapped a couple of pictures before I decided I had better head inside.


The storm came on so suddenly, and I realized that that’s not unlike the storms of life.  Disruptions in our “plans” also tend to come tumbling in without much warning and often when we least expect them—and it can be scary!  But I always cling to that last line of my poem: I cannot control the storm; but he can.  It was just my reminder that not matter what life throws at me, I can always trust God to be steadfast and to be my firm foundation.  And just as a violent storm can also be beautiful, so God can work beautiful things out of the storms in our lives.  His hand is always at work, and I stand in awe of my Creator.




Praise the LORD from the earth,
    you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, 
 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
    stormy winds that do his bidding
–Psalm 148:7-8


The heavens declare the glory of God; 
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 
Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they display knowledge. 
There is no speech or language
    where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.
–Psalm 19:1-4


The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
–Psalm 18:12