When You Need a Good Thunderstorm
I walked in the park with a dear friend last week. We talked and talked while drinking in the greenery of the trees overhead and the texture of the earth underfoot. Near the end of our time the atmosphere became close and oppressive as thunder began to rumble in the distance. So we walked back across the field, choosing to go in our bare feet, letting the feel of the grass ground us to God’s good earth. We sat down to put our shoes back on and stayed there for a while, soaking in the energy and majesty of the storm, watching the lighting illuminate the sky, abandoned to the wildness of creation, feeling fully alive. I was humbled and exhilarated, acutely aware of how little control we have in the face of such power. All we can do is experience the storm and see what it might have to say.
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In Psalm 29 the writer uses a thunderstorm to describe the voice of God. This is not the calming voice of the Good Shepherd we heard back in Psalm 23, but a disorienting voice; a voice that smashes the strongest of trees into splinters, causes earthquakes among mountains and hills, and strips the forest bare with flashes of lightning. I hear in this psalm echoes of the prophet Jeremiah: “Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jer.23:29). This is a destructive and powerful force we can neither control nor contain
I find these texts drawing me into awe and wonder. They awaken me again to my own smallness, my own vulnerability in the face of such majesty. I feel the storm image viscerally, imagining the feel of thunder resounding through my body as lightning temporarily blinds me, like Paul on the road to Damascus.
And I wonder what this thundering, majestic voice of God might be roaring. What is it that God wants to say out of the storm? I think perhaps Jeremiah might hold some clues for us.
Right at the beginning of Jeremiah, God says to the prophet, “See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant” (Jer. 1:10). God’s powerful word comes to break down strongholds and tear down oppression. God’s voice brings destruction to the foundations of systemic injustice, causing them to quake and collapse. It smashes through the chains of slavery to bring freedom and dignity. There are systems and structures in our society that need to be broken down, destroyed and overthrown; systems and structures that underpin suffering, abuse and cruelty, that privilege some people groups over others and draw us towards selfishness, hatred and greed.
But where does that leave us, in all our fragility and helplessness? Are we just caught up in the storm, buffeted and battered by it all? No. To dismantle and tear down oppression and injustice in all its forms is the work of God’s kingdom. We are not called to be afraid of the storm, but to be a part of it, aligning our voices with the words of God.
We participate in bringing God’s kingdom when we speak out on behalf of the marginalised and the poor. When we speak words of truth and repentance, grief and lament, when we cry out for justice to be done. When we speak words of love, acceptance and belonging. When we work for the freedom of those who are held captive and liberation for all who are oppressed.
We join our voice with God's voice when we speak to those in our sphere of influence and challenge the status quo, when we recognise ways we have been complicit in racism, sexism and greed. When we take steps to change our language, our attitudes, our hearts. When we ensure all marginalised voices can be heard and truly listened to. This is the work of clearing the ground so we can build on solid foundations and plant seed into good soil.
It’s interesting to notice that after the storm metaphor all the way through Psalm 29, the psalmist ends with a prayer of peace for God’s people. It seems jarring at first, until you remember that is exactly what happens after a storm. There is a break in the clouds and the atmosphere that has been so oppressive, noisy and chaotic becomes clear and calm again.
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After watching the thunderstorm in the park, I returned to my car just before the heavens opened and a huge downpour flooded the earth – or at least my small patch of it. I drove slowly through the pouring rain, hardly able to see and yet still in awe of the power of nature, still glorying in the God who set it all in motion. After a while, the rain stopped. Everything became still and the world was washed fresh and clean once more, ready for a new beginning.
“The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
The Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless his people with peace.”
Psalm 29:10-11
Reading Recommendations
The Very Good Gospel, by Lisa Sharon Harper
By exploring the first three chapters of Genesis, Lisa Sharon Harper shows what 'very good' can look like in ourselves, our relationships with God and each other and with the earth. Although Harper's book is obviously underpinned by robust scholarship, it is very clearly written and easy to read. She sets out a vision of what God originally intended for humanity in the Garden of Eden and each chapter considers how we might live into that 'very good' vision today. This is practical theology at its best and I particularly liked the questions for reflection at the end for each chapter. Also, you should know that Lisa is an absolute delight on Instagram and I highly recommend following her there as well as getting her book.
Becoming, by Michelle Obama
I have listened to this book several times on Audible and thoroughly enjoy hearing the author tell her own story in her own voice. This memoir is not only compelling storytelling, but an important reflection on the experiences that shaped and formed Obama as she grew up on the south side of Chicago, went to college and eventually became the First Lady of the United States. It's a warm, wise, honest and deeply personal account from a woman who is full of wit and humanity and I was hooked on her story from the beginning. There is now also a documentary on Netflix to accompany the book, and I really recommend watching that too.
And finally...
Thank you so much for being here! I love hearing from you, so feel free to leave a comment if you want to get in touch.
Speaking up for truth and justice with you,
Abby