The awesome God…who cares about you

Many people in Japan think I’m strange, but I love thunderstorms.  I love hearing the lightning flash and the thunder roar.  Of course, this is much cooler indoors, than out.  🙂

I was looking at the Amplified Bible today, and it had an interesting note.

It said that this psalm was called the “Song of the Thunderstorm,” and was “sung during an earthshaking tempest which reminds the psalmist of the time of Noah and the deluge.”

And throughout Psalm 29, we see the awesomeness of God.

David starts with a call to worship,

Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. (Psalm 29:1-2)

I don’t know about you, but I don’t use the word “ascribe” very often, and it seems that every time I see this psalm, I have to think about what it means.

Basically, it’s saying, “Recognize the glory and strength of God.  Recognize the glory that is due to him.  And worship him for the beauty of his holiness.”

I wonder how often we think of the “splendor” or “beauty” of holiness.

But when we see what God is, and what we were originally created to be, there’s no other word we can use except, “beautiful.”

Right now we are but a marred figure of the image of God.  Yet even so, we can sometimes see glimpses of his beauty as we look at people.

How much more beautiful is the One who is unstained by sin.

David then talks about God in nature, the roar of his voice, and the power and majesty of it.

He describes the lightning that flashes and the thunder that shakes the earth, and how in the midst of the storm, even the mighty trees are broken, its branches made bare, and its pieces “dancing” in the wind.

Through all this, David imagines hearing other voices, the voices of angels in heaven’s temple calling out “Glory,” as they worship the King upon his throne.

But if there’s one thing that strikes me, it’s how David ends this psalm.

He sings,

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.  (29:11)

What strikes me about this verse?  That the God who is awesome, the God who is holy, the God who is almighty…he cares for me.

He cares enough for me to give me strength when I am weak.  He cares enough to give my soul peace when I am anxious and fearful.

When I am weak, he is strong.  And as the Amplified Bible puts it,

 The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people.

Lord, you are awesome.  You are mighty.  You are holy.  And yet you love me. 

Thank you for that.  That though I am small and seemingly insignificant, yet to you, I am highly significant.  Enough so, that you came down to this earth to die for me. 

When I am weak, be my strength.  When I am in the storm and am fearful and anxious, grant me your peace.  I love you.  In Jesus’ name, amen.