Does God still thunder from Heaven?
The ancient prophet Isaiah cried out to the people, “Come near, you nations, to hear; And heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, The world and all things that come forth from it.” (Isa. 34:1, KJV).
But do such dusty sentiments as these have impact upon our world today? Does God still thunder in these days?
Is Covid-19 a thundering from God? Indeed the pandemic has gotten our attention – it has gotten the whole world’s attention as few things in human history have. But do we pause to listen for God in this crisis?
Many gripe at God, shaking their fist at Him rather than coming near as the prophet urged. Others turn to science and medicine looking for hope, to governments and spiritualism, or try to numb their confusion with alcohol or drugs. These are but distractions from hearing God.
This past Sunday Elder Don pointed out to us that a lack of hearing is most often due not to the silence of the speaker, but to the deafness of the hearer.
Deafness comes on a person slowly, imperceptibly at first. Its onset is hastened through constant exposure to overbearing sounds, loud noises which steadily flatten the follicles that send neurochemical signals to the brain, where the messages are perceived, where warnings and directions command the body to actions, convince the will to bend, or touch the heart to love.
In fact God is screaming at us constantly. His Creation testifies to His Love and wisdom, His Beauty and care. The Cosmos testify to His vastness and power, principles and eternity. Your very existence, intellect, creativity and spiritual hunger testify that God has made you and made you like Himself, and for Himself.
And yes God also still thunders. He thunders now. “Listen!” He thunders. If we wish to hear Him we must stop thundering ourselves. We must “Come near… to hear” or as The Message puts our text,
“Draw in close now, nations. Listen carefully, you people. Pay attention! Earth, you, too, and everything in you. World, and all that comes from you.” (isa. 34:1, MSG).
The Coronavirus is a shout to our world. To “Everyone of every nation, the entire earth, and all of its creatures, come here and listen!” (Isa. 34:1, CEV).
Sometimes God’s Voice does not thunder at all. Sometimes it is not in the “great and powerful wind” which tears the mountains apart, not in the earthquake, not in the fire. (See 1 Kings 19:11-13). Sometimes, as one of our church members describes, God’s ‘SHOUT’ is inaudible. But even when it is silent, it remains undeniable. That “still, small voice,” that “gentle whisper” brings a more powerful word from God than the amps of any Christian rock band.
“Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world, and all that comes out of it!” (Isa. 34:1, NIV).
What is God saying to you, today?
More tomorrow…
thebrokenrunner 
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