When the Sky Lit Up

“Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and quaked.
Your path led through the sea,
your way through the mighty waters,
though your footprints were not seen.”
Psalm 77:18-19 (NIV)

Arise and shine, dear one! God is with you!

"Whoa! That was a BIG one! Did you see that, Mom?"

My son's squeal of delight was contagious as he sat enthralled, watching the sky light up with lightning. The thunder grew louder. Rain began to fall, and our typical Pacific Northwest drizzle quickly shifted to a massive downpour, overflowing the gutters in seconds as the wind picked up and the lights began to flicker.

My son grabbed a flashlight, prepared in case the power went out, but still with a smile on his face. There wasn't a hint of fear in his eyes. He had respect for the power of the storm, but he wasn't scared by it.

That same posture, respect without fear, is exactly what I find in the words of Asaph as he writes of his own experience with God.

Psalm 77 captures Asaph's journey through emotion and remembrance. He cries out to the Lord in the night, longing for help and comfort, wrestling with doubt and disappointment. But then something shifts. He stops rehearsing his circumstances and starts recalling who God is.

He's the God of miracles, the God of redemption, the God who parts the waters. He's the God whose thunder roars from the whirlwind, whose lightning lights up the world, who makes a path through the sea, even though His footprints are not seen. He's the Shepherd who gently guides His people along the path they should go.

When Asaph's thoughts shift from his circumstances to recalling what God has done, the tone of the entire Psalm changes: from sorrow to hope.

Are you in a storm, dear one? Open your Bible today and read Psalm 77. You don't have to fear the storms of life, because you know the One who is with you in the midst of it. Like my son watching the sky light up, may you watch the storms of your life with respect, not fear… because you know who has authority over the storm. Trust Him to lead you through, and even when you can't see His footprints, you can be assured He'll never leave your side.