God's clap...

At this very moment, I'm sitting in my apartment listening to the incredible pitter patter of the rain on my window, and I'm taken back to a time in my life, when I was a teenager and my dad would take my sister and I camping in the mountains of Alberta. The sound of rain I'm listening to, makes me think of nights spent in our tent, and I would hear the rain on the canvas. The glorious rain. I used to love nights like these. I would purposely try to stay awake to take in all that I could of this intriguing sound. Even though it would be pouring outside, I knew that I would be warm and cozy next to my dad and sister in the tent. I have always felt a great deal of peace come over me when I hear rain, wondering if each drop will be the same as the next...

Its been raining heaps this summer in Beijing, and I have always seemingly managed to find myself in the middle of rainstorms! While I like the rain, just last night there was this earth shattering thunder and lightning! If God were to just all of a sudden clap His hands...that would be the thunder I heard last night. I lay awake in my bed wondering when the next "clap" would be...I must admit...I was scared. I was shaking a little.

Amazing how stormy weather can be the source of so much comfort and peace, but also fear at the same time. God has been showing me alot about fear in my life, recently. Fear sometimes about my future, my day to day things, relationships, having completely confidence in myself. Last night, as I was in prayer on my floor, I believe God spoke to me and said to fear Him only. His perfect love casts out all fear. The power of His love takes it away. I've been reminded that He is God...I am not, and He knows me better than I know myself. What a comforting fact! God knew in advance, all the things that would make me scared or fearful in someway. In these moments of my fear, I'm keenly aware of my sensitivity to it, but the more I learn of God's presence in my life, the more I realize how present He actually is in all circumstances. Everywhere. In everything.

While the thunder and lightening is never something I will absolutely love...it does say alot about our Creator...his power, his workmanship, his creativity, his complexity. He made us...think about that for a moment.