LIGHTNING STORM


I drove home in a lightning storm on a recent Monday night.  The route home I took was wide open space, a highway that runs alongside a train track.  It was a little after 8pm and I had a front row seat to this amazing light show.  As I drove I realized the lighting was all around me and close by.  Then I had this scary thought: “People get zapped by lightning all the time.  What if this is my day?  What if my Prius (who everyone knows is the beast of hybrids) gets lit up?”  I quickly thought about how safe I am with God on my side.  But that thought was proceeded with the thought of all the godly people who die all the time.  “That’s it! I’m going to die!” I told myself. My mind went back to all I had heard about people that got struck by lightning: “What did they say it was like?  Bright light? Big booming sound?”  I was sure I remembered hearing that somewhere.
Then it happened.  I was stopped at a stoplight on the highway when I heard this blaring, loud, long sound. “Take me home Jesus!”  But I was still sitting in my car.  I looked over to my right and saw a train getting ready to start rolling again, blaring its train horn.  I drove home embarrassed of myself.
The king of Assyria had sent a threatening message to king Hezekiah.  Isaiah brought this word from the Lord to Hezekiah: Do not be afraid of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. 2 Kings 19:6 (NIV)
I realize I give too much power to the stuff I hear...the noise.  I give into the fearful words of the enemy.  The Bible tells us that he prowls around like a roaring lion.  In other words, he makes a lot of noise.  And it’s easy to get paralyzed in fear by that noise.  But 2 Kings 19:6 points out an important truth:  We think the enemy’s words are against the people of God.  But really, it’s against the God of the people.  God told Hezekiah: “Do not be afraid of…those words which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.”
When the lion’s telling me I’m not going to make it, He’s really calling out God’s ability to provide a way for me.  This is ultimately because I’m God’s.  His words against my health is calling out my Healer.  His roar against my finances is calling out my Provider.  His lie about my past is calling out my Forgiver and Redeemer!  So, diminish the effect of his empty words by growing in your knowledge and confidence in the Person of God.

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