Thunder Crackling & Lightning Striking
Tuesday, September 5, 2023
“Gracious souls are never perfectly at ease except when they are in close communion with Christ; for when they are away from Him, they lose their peace. The nearer to Him, the nearer to the perfect calm of heaven; the nearer to Him, the fuller the heart is, not only of peace, but of life and vigor and joy, for these all depend on constant fellowship with Jesus.” – C.H. Spurgeon
When it gets stormy outside, Deanna and I can count on two things. Their names are Lucy and Coco, our 6-year-old dachshund and our 2-year-old terrier mix, who climb onto our laps and want to be held as closely as possible.
Bigger dogs are not immune to wanting to be in close proximity to their owners when the winds are howling, the rain is pouring, the thunder is crackling, and the lightning is striking. My son and daughter-in-law have two pit rescues, Kona and Hershey, and the latter one especially just cowers in fear during inclement weather.
In today’s quote, Charles Spurgeon shares the eternal truth that in good times and bad, when the sun is shining or the storm clouds are gathering, the safest and most reassuring place to be is in the center of God’s will. When life’s twists and turns go from bad to worse, just picture yourself running to Jesus and jumping onto His lap.
Likewise, as the “Prince of Preachers” points out, being within shouting distance of Jesus isn’t enough if you want to fully experience His presence and power. In order for a lamp to provide light, it must be plugged into an electrical outlet. So must a Christian be “plugged into” Jesus if he or she wants to shine… and shine brightly.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” Acts 1:8a (NKJV)
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5 (ESV)
- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President
