Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.
Job 37:1-5 (NIV)
“At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place. Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice, to the rumbling that comes from his mouth. He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth. After that comes the sound of his roar; he thunders with his majestic voice. When his voice resounds, he holds nothing back. God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.”
Job 37:1-5 (MSG)
“Whenever this happens, my heart stops – I’m stunned, I can’t catch my breath. Listen to it! Listen to his thunder, the rolling, rumbling thunder of his voice. He lets loose his lightnings from horizon to horizon, lighting up the earth from pole to pole. In their wake, the thunder echoes his voice, powerful and majestic. He lets out all the stops, he holds nothing back. No one can mistake that voice – His word thundering so wondrously, his mighty acts staggering our understanding.”
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“Indeed, at His thundering my heart trembles and leaps out of its place. Listen carefully to the thunder of His voice, and the rumbling that goes out of His mouth! He lets it loose under the whole heaven, and His lightning to the ends of the earth. After it, His voice roars; He thunders with the voice of His majesty,
and He does not restrain His lightning [against His adversaries] when His voice is heard. God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend.” -AMPLIFIED
Elihu takes the time to address and observe the power of God in nature. Who’s to say, but a storm may have been raging over the heads of these five friends as they sat together on the outskirts of town in the trash heap. We find Elihu jumping into his lecture to Job with a renewed energy. He says:
“At this, my heart quivers, and it nearly leaps out of my chest. Listen! Listen to the raging anger in His voice, the rumbling that’s coming from His mouth! He sets the roar loose across the whole length of the sky, and His lightning flashes to the ends of the earth. After the flash comes the deafening roar of His voice, the voice that thunders His majesty—The voice that resounds with no evidence of restraint, the voice of God that is thundering wondrously. He does magnificent things, beyond our comprehension.” -(VOICE)
“The storm may not part, but it never calls into question the absolute authority of the promise of God.” ~Alistair Begg
Elihu notices the majesty and glory of God in the midst of the storm. Notice how he points out the power of God in the various catastrophes of nature:
“To the snow, He issues the order: “Go! Fall on the earth!” And to the rain shower, He says, “Show your power; beat down heavy on the earth!” Then, as the weather drives laborers indoors, He closes in around every human hand, sealing them off from their labors, and in forced rest, all are drawn to see the ongoing work of God. The beast of the field scampers for cover, hiding in its cave for the duration. Meanwhile, the whirlwind comes forth from its southern chamber, and the arctic winds bring the cold. From the breath of God ice forms, and the wide waters of the rivers and seas expand in the freeze. He weighs down the thick clouds with moisture, and they scatter His clusters of light. The storm changes course under His guidance; it moves as He directs over the contours of the entire earth. And what is His aim? Whether for the discipline of His people or for the sake of the earth itself, or as an expression of His deep, loyal love, He causes all of this to happen.” -Job 37:6-13 (VOICE)
We then find Elihu speaking directly to Job for the need to take the time to think on the wonder and awesomeness of God.
“Hear this, Job. Pause where you are, and ponder the wonders of God.” -Job 37:14 (VOICE)
“It is about the greatness of God, not the significance of man. God made man small and the universe big to say something about himself.” ~John Piper
The Bible reminds us:
* “Our God is in heaven doing whatever He chooses.” -Psalm 115:3 (VOICE)
* “He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was [at once] a great and wonderful calm [a perfect peacefulness].” -Matthew 8:26 (AMP)
* “The Eternal’s anger builds slowly, but His power is great. He will not allow the guilty to go free. His way is in fierce winds and storms; the clouds are dust beneath His feet.” -Nahum 1:3 (VOICE)
* “Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.” -Psalm 46:10 (AMP)
* “And finally He said to me, “My grace is enough to cover and sustain you. My power is made perfect in weakness.” So ask me about my thorn, inquire about my weaknesses, and I will gladly go on and on—I would rather stake my claim in these and have the power of the Anointed One at home within me.” -2 Corinthians 12:9 (VOICE)
“The very word authority has within it the word author. An author is someone who creates and possesses a particular work. Insofar as God is the foundation of all authority, He exercises that foundation because He is the author and the owner of His creation. He is the foundation upon which all other authority stands or falls.” ~R.C. Sproul
Life is full of storms, and yet, God has authority over each and every one of them. Nothing slips by Him. The winds may blow strong, the waters rise, and the thunder crash close by us. Still God is in complete authority, for He alone is the Author of the storm; in His wisdom He has allowed us to go through it. Will you trust Him? Or will you fight against what He intends to do in your life for His glory?
“When we stand in the middle of a lifestorm, it seems as if the storm has become our way of life. We cannot see a way out. We are unable to chart a course back to smoother waters. We feel defeated – and broken. Will that brokenness produce a cynicism that will keep us forever in the mire of if only thinking? Or will we yield up that brokenness to the resources of One who calms the winds and the waves, heals the brokenhearted, and forgives the most grievous of sins? The choice is ours.” ~Verdell Davis
My Prayer:
Father God, the Author of every storm, help me to submit to the you when those storms seem to rage in my life. I know that you are in complete control. At times though, I am much like Peter; taking my eyes off of you and placing them on the storm. In those times, things appear to be impossible and insurmountable. Help me to trust you more, Lord, and allow you to do your good work in my life.
Growing with God 