Read Psalm 77

“The clouds poured out water; The skies sent out a sound; Your arrows also flashed about. The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind; The lightnings lit up the world; The earth trembled and shook.” (Psalm 77:17–18)

It was only a few days ago that my family and I were caught up in a thunderstorm deep within the trails of Smith Rock. If you’re unfamiliar with this location — its volcanic landscape is absolutely breathtaking and gigantic. Jagged walls of rock tower as high as 3,200 feet all around you, while the Crooked River cuts its way through in curves. If you ever want to feel small, like an ant trying to make its way across a sidewalk, all you need to do is walk one of those trails. I’ve never experienced Petra located in Jordan, but I would imagine Smith Rock is as close to experiencing it as possible in Central Oregon.

It was in this place that suddenly an ominous thunderstorm settled in above my family and I. The flash of lightning strobed across the sky followed by quick successions of clapping thunder. Even more extraordinary was how the thunder would bounce off of rock walls like an echo chamber. It was like being positioned in the middle of a large subwoofer. All of this continued while torrents of rain poured down making us feel like we were in a bowl being filled up with water.

It was exhilarating — and terrifying.

As I carried my 4 year old girl up the steep switchbacks, being pelted by a mixture of large rain drops and hail, she tucked herself tightly into my neck as I held her close. She is already scared stiff of thunder as it is. Even the distant sound of it would propel her running into our house to hide. And now here she was with me underneath the most extreme circumstances — certainly dangerous — completely exposed to all that the thunderstorm would throw at us.

But to my surprise, my daughter was not afraid. In fact, I frequently found a smile on her face as we raced across the trail. When the thunder would roll above us she would squeeze tight, but she was altogether composed and secure. As loud as the thunder was, my fatherly voice in her ear was more powerful still.

This whole experience reminded me of what it’s like to be in the arms of our awesome God as His own child. The psalmist declares the magnitude of God’s glory by describing His thunderous voice at which the earth shook and trembled. No doubt — it is a fearful thing indeed!

“The voice of the LORD is over the waters; The God of glory thunders; The LORD is over many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice of the LORD is full of majesty. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars, Yes, the LORD splinters the cedars of Lebanon.” (Psalm 29:3–5)

Yet, dear Beloved, we as God’s children are tucked tightly into His bosom. His Word is in our ears as a still small voice which lifts our countenance. In God’s arms we find composure and security in the vastness of His fearsome glory. With Him, we are untouchable. And if we need not fear the thunder of God in His arms, how much shall we not fear the meager thunder of this world?

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)