The Road Trip
Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? 16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge? (Job 37:15-16)
The hot days of summer bring back memories of childhood vacations: riding in the car for hours, listening to my brother sing Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA,” declaring war on my brother for crossing the invisible boundary separating us in the backseat, exploring the wonders of the West, and having adventures with family in Nevada.
Almost every summer of my childhood, we loaded up for a road trip to see my dad’s family in Nevada. As a teacher, he had summers off, and my mom stayed at home with us until I was 16. We had plenty of time to wander through the United States, taking in the expansiveness of the Grand Canyon, the beauty of Yellowstone National Park, and the snow in the Rocky Mountains in Montana in June.
I still remember one such trip vividly. My dad drove into Nebraska at about ten o’clock at night on our way back to Oklahoma from Nevada. We had been on the road for about twelve hours, and as we drove farther into the state, we saw strikes of lightning overhead. My dad pulled into a rest stop, and we all ran for cover as soon as he put the car in park.
After we reached the shelter of the overhang, the sky turned as black as coal, eliminating the light from the moon and stars. Beautiful flashes of light streaked across the sky from one end to the other. Each bolt of lightning was unique; some shot straight down to the ground, others played leap frog across the sky, and still others branched out like a tree with a million tiny branches. My family and I stood in awe as we watched the majesty of God’s glory play out around us.
Every time I see a lightning storm, I think of that night. I’ve not seen such a brilliant display since. That night, my family and I were confronted with the glory of God’s power and the majesty of his creation. God’s glory is on display all around us, but we seldom take time to stop and admire it. God got our attention that night with his awesome light show, and I’m thankful that I had the chance to see it.
Dear Jesus, thank you for your beautiful creation. Your power is on display all around us, even though we don’t always acknowledge it. Help us not to take the majesty of your creation for granted. Amen.