Thunder

It rained today here in my hometown. It was a pretty big storm too.

Ever since I was a kid, I've always felt that the thunder represented something bigger than just the noise that follows lightning. When I was very young, I thought it was a miracle; I thought it was the way that God spoke. As I grew older, however, I learned that the sound thunder makes has a perfectly logical explanation. It's not God speaking a language we can't understand or anything else like that, it's just a simple sound wave created when the air, after being split by the bolt of electricity, collapses in on itself.

When I first discovered the nature of thunder, I was pretty disappointed, because the naive mysticism of the whole situation was lost. I no longer listened in awe to the crashes of thunder, wondering what God was saying.

It made me sad; this whole time I had believed something that simply wasn't true. I continued to think about the thunder in this simple, physical way for quite some time, but one day, it changed.

I realized that the thunder IS God speaking to us.

You see, the thunder isn't a Godly language or an unexplainable phenomenon, but it definitely says something. God does speak to us through the thunder.

First of all, God created the thunder. God specifically designed it to create the massive sound that thunder is known for. He did it for a reason.

Second, thunder points to His glory. There is a reason that thunder will cause anyone, even the most anti-Christian scientists, to marvel in awe at its incredible power. The reason is that God wanted it to be that way. He wants us to marvel at the power and beauty of His creation.

So, in a way, the thunder really is God speaking.

Why is this important? Look around you. If you ever have doubts or you ever feel the urge to "see" God, all you have to do is stop and notice his creation. From the sense of awe that thunder brings, to the good feelings that come with bright sunlight on a beautiful day, the entire world speaks of his creation. God proves Himself by the very fact that we exist.

Everything works together in a logical way because He wanted it to. Seemingly plain and logical things, such as the sound waves produced by thunder, create such illogical and unique feelings because He wanted it to.

So, the next time you feel alone; the next time you think that God doesn't speak to you; the next time you need to see God with your own eyes, just look at Him. Take a few minutes to absorb and admire the art and music he has provided for us in nature. If you want to know the creator, look at the creation. If you want to know how powerful His hands are, look at his handprints.

Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth.
Amen.