Lightning and Thunder

The power of lightning flashing and roaring thunder fascinate me. One morning while enjoying an early morning sleep a flash of lightning lit up the bedroom. I saw the flash with closed eyes. Suddenly thunder loud and long shook the house rattling the windows. It seemed to roll forever. An awesome way to start the morning.

I was carrying a friend to Montgomery when a large thunderhead cloud covered Interstate 65. I smiled as a beautiful streak of lightning lit up the southern sky. It was a stunning display of raw power. My friend, from Baltimore City, Maryland, shook in fear. She was not used to the violent thunderstorms of Alabama.

One of my history professors from the University of Montevallo explained that the mentality of most Southern gentlemen is like that of a thunderstorm. Long dry and hot days the earth stores the energy of the sun. The energy builds and builds with each passing day. When a cold front approaches, the earth releases the stored energy. The longer the storage the more violent the storm. Dr. Fuller, the professor said that Southern men are easy going until pushed too far, then they explode like a violent thunderstorm.

The morning after the storm passes, the Alabama sky is a clear and beautiful blue. The air is cooler and everything turns green and starts to renew what was dry and almost dead. These things are what makes Spring my favorite time of the year.

Lighting storms cause destruction too. Power outages can last for days, and the impatience of power customers grows exponentially. Winds, hail, and rain can wreak havoc on property. Storms can ruin springtime events, like Resurrection Sunday.

Maudy Thursday and Good Friday remind us of prelude of one of the greatest storms in history. As Jesus celebrated His last supper with his disciples, sin began to manifest Satan’s evil plot. Through the centuries before the Resurrection, evil battled God, and His people. Everything imaginable confronted the men and women of God. The events of Calvary went deeper than a hand full of disciples shaken from their belief. The climax of their last days with Jesus was one of sin. That great moment when God walked among them the disciples allowed sin to dominate their thoughts, their actions, and their ministries. Their dreams and ambitions ended in defeat and just beyond them the unseen world of evil rallied in victory. The lie defeated the truth and Truth lay in a cold dark tomb bound by rags and smothered by perfume and burial spices.

While those who loved the Lord wept with hurt, mourned with regret, and cried in anger, the forces of darkness danced, drank, and celebrated victory. Finally evil could do what they wanted and there would be no accountability, no repercussions, and no judgment. The powers of darkness with every unimaginable display of sinful prejudice, partying, and pure filth celebrated. Satan and his legions of demonic prodigies had slain the Incarnate, Eternal God.

As the storm raged from Friday night through the events at Calvary, believers wept with the heartbreaking events flooding their thoughts and being. Suddenly the Son flashed as lightning and the thunder rolled, darkness scurried away, and evil cleared its throat, as hearts ached, eyes cried, and hands trembled waiting for the break of day, Truth broke the power of evil. Satan, his evil crew, and groupies faced the risen Savior knowing their future was the eternal abyss.

The words of Matthew ring in our hearts and ears.

 “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.” Matthew 28:6 KJV

Until Resurrection morning, sin and sickness dominated life robbing it of joy. Sin, sickness, and sadness are realities of life until the Lord returns. One day Jesus is coming to take believers out of this heartbreaking world of sin, sickness, and sadness. Until He does, believers have the help of the Holy Spirit. Until He comes, believers have the assurance and the prayers of other believers to help. Our salvation is commitment to Christ and His Church. Because He lives we live in hope.

Resurrection Sunday is a great day for the church. It is the largest day of attendance for most churches, but that is not the reason for its greatness. It is great because it is the day we celebrate the victory over death. For believers it is a reality every day.

SHARE WITH A FRIEND

LEAVE A COMMENT

 

 

 

Weathering COVID-19 Storms

 

As the football season draws to a close and the football bowl season starts, we know that it is the holiday season.  It is a time of giving thanks, celebrating Christ, ending another year, and making new resolutions.

Family gatherings, festive merriment, and financial exertions will deplete our good nature, drain our energy, and depress our banking accounts.  Each of us will enter the New Year tired.

Take a moment to reflect on the game of football.  It has been said that at a college stadium, there are twenty-two players in need of rest and ninety thousand spectators in need of exercise and that is at the game not counting the hundreds of thousands that are watching on television.

The truth is that the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is everything but a time of Holy day reflection.  Most everyone will start the New Year tired and exhausted.  As my daddy would say about vacations, “Son, I got to go back to work to rest.”

If you are like me, there are times when I have been tired and in need of rest when the unexpected happens.  Suddenly, totally exhausted we must find energy to continue.

While attending the University of Montevallo, I found myself in that situation on several occasions.  One of those times, I was working full time at the cement plant, taking a full course (12 hours) at the University, and pastoring the Brierfield Baptist Church.  I worked rotation shifts at the plant and had to swap my day shifts and evenings for evenings and midnights.  Truman, the co-worker that I swapped, loved the conditions.  I needed to do what I thought would help me live my call in the ministry.

After working a Saturday midnight, I went home, took a nap, got up, showered went to church, preached, ate dinner, took a nap, went to church, went home, and went to work Sunday midnight.  Monday morning I showered at the plant, and went to classes at the University.  My last class was physical education, a course in tennis.  I played tennis with an eighteen-year-old girl who beat me every time we played.  I was thirty-five and running on caffeine having not slept much since starting midnights.

I got home needing to get some rest before working Monday midnight.  Getting ready to sleep I got a call from the cement plant to report to work.  The evening shift man did not report to work and there was an emergency.  I tried my best to convince them that I had no sleep and could not work.  I was an oiler on the cement kilns.

Have you ever noticed how plant safety or any other employee rules go out the window in times of emergency?  The evening supervisor told me that if I needed to sleep, I could sleep in the control room.  Sleeping on the job meant termination on normal days.

I went to work and pulled a double, working the evening shift and the midnight shift.  I was tired on Tuesday morning.  I took a good hot shower at the plant and went to two classes at the University.  When I got home Tuesday afternoon, I died for a few hours.  By the way, I did not sleep on that double shift.  I worked for those sixteen hours.

Life is full of times when trouble comes when needing rest.  We have all been there.

After a very exhausting day of ministry and work, Jesus instructed the disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee.  While in route to the other side, a violent storm arose.  The area in which the disciples were caught in the storm was not an area where storms usually occurred.  It was dark and the boat tossed back and forth causing the disciples to panic.  It is bad when veteran fisherman panic.  Jesus was asleep in the bottom of the boat, but He got up to serve.

There is a lesson for us.  The disciples forgot that hope, Jesus, was in the boat.  They wanted to rest but they had to serve, wanted to rest but had to work, wanted to rest but had to pray, wanted to rest but had to continue, and wanted to rest but had to glorify God.

And the same day, when the even was come, He saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.  And when they had sent away the multitude, they took Him even as He was in the ship. And there were also with Him other little ships.  And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.  And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?  And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.  And He said unto them, why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?  And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, what manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? (Mark 4:35-41 KJV)

 

With the COVID 19 storm robbing people of hope, remember Jesus urges us to go to the other side of the sea.  This COVID 19 storm will pass.