Lightning storm

[Janet842]

Read this, vote, then tell everyone what you would have done and why:

It is my habit to talk to the Lord late in the evening, often after dark. (I stay focused in prayer far better when I’m on my feet – the dog gets to go along, she loves it.) One night I needed to talk to the Lord about trust. (That’s been a huge issue for me because I have been in financial trials for two years now.)

I had walked several blocks toward the park when I saw a bolt of lightning far in the distance. It was so far off that I couldn’t hear any thunder. I was fully into my topic as I arrived at the park. (The park is a large grassy area with no cover.) I had walked only about 100 yards into the park when a blinding flash of lightning hit nearby. The clap of thunder was instantaneous and pounded against my chest. I turned to run out of the park for cover, but stopped in my tracks after only a few steps.

What was I saying to God by running when I was there that night specifically to talk to Him about developing a deeper trust relationship? Was I saying I didn’t trust God? Was I being tested? I had to choose what to believe and then what I would do immediately – should I run, or walk the park as if there was no storm. Scriptures started running through my mind about the hairs on my head being numbered, about trusting the Lord with all your heart, soul, and strength, and on and on.

So many things to try to figure out in only a minute’s time! Are there events of nature that God controls, or did He just set the earth in motion and then walk away from it? (It surely looks like that when you think of the Katrina disaster, tornadoes, hurricanes, Haiti and such.) Was God going to stand by and let nature run whatever course it chose that night? Would a bolt of lightning take my life if I didn’t run for cover?

What would you do if this happened to you? Would you run for cover, or would you continue on walking as if the storm wasn’t raging about you?

I’ll post what I did in a week or so!

Janet

 

[razeontherock]

The Deist idea that G-d set everything in motion and watches it while He's aloof is not the Biblical idea, nor is it what our Founding Fathers ascribed to, as has been the slanderous re-writing of history. There is still the "don't tempt the Lord" thing ...

It really comes down to being led by the Spirit. If you were impressed w/ the Scriptures you posted here, I would think you'd just keep walking!

 

[Mr. 5020]

God gave us eyes, feet and a brain.

Run.

 

[stormdancer0]

I'm probably not the best person to answer this one. As my name suggests, I love thunderstorms, and regularly stand out in the yard and watch as they pass through. I get wet, but I just love being in the middle of it.

 

[Janet842]

The Deist idea that G-d set everything in motion and watches it while He's aloof is not the Biblical idea, nor is it what our Founding Fathers ascribed to, as has been the slanderous re-writing of history.

Wow. You just proved to me how much I don't know, having never studied anything about Deists. For someone who would like to do a little research about this (me for instance) what would I do? Are there any really good books I could get?

Thanks!

 

[wayfaring man]

I agree there is no set answer .

I've walked through some storms with lightning crashing all around me , without much fear at all . And then at other times I've had the strong sensation to quickly seek cover . There's a lot of potential variables ... at one point it may be time to experience the fearlessness of following Jesus , and at another it may be time to experience the rightness of fearing God's power ( so to speak ) .

Additionally , running for cover isn't always the safest thing to do - depending on the type of cover one runs to ... typically seeking cover under trees , especially if the ground is wet where one stands under them , is a bad idea , cause the tree can easily attract the lightning as it seeks to ground itself with whatever is closest to it's reach .

Someplace dry , like a building or inside an automobile is a generally a far better choice .

If there is none of those available , it is recommended ( if one is seeking safety ) to hunker down in a low place , squatting on the balls of your feet , so that you are not sticking up as a potential " lightning rod " , and are making minimal contact with the ground .

May The Lord Be Pleased !

wm

 

[razeontherock]

Wow. You just proved to me how much I don't know, having never studied anything about Deists. For someone who would like to do a little research about this (me for instance) what would I do? Are there any really good books I could get?

Thanks!

I highly recommend that autobiography of Ben Franklin. It doesn't directly address your question though Reading through the minutes of meetings of Congress he was in, available at every law library, maintained in every County seat, is hard work. Richly rewarding though! You can see their Faith in G-d, and what they thought Christianity was.

Deism wasn't codified in any way at that time, so there's no way to tell how it may have morphed since. The cruel or at least indifferent owner of an antfarm is still a common idea re: G-d, so I haven't looked into it further.

 

[Janet842]

I agree there is no set answer .

I've walked through some storms with lightning crashing all around me , without much fear at all . And then at other times I've had the strong sensation to quickly seek cover . There's a lot of potential variables ... at one point it may be time to experience the fearlessness of following Jesus , and at another it may be time to experience the rightness of fearing God's power ( so to speak ) .

Now that's a really good take on something like this. I'll keep that in mind should I ever find myself out in a thunderstorm again.

I did continue walking.

I find it interesting how responses from my friends vary according to denomination. Most of my friends at the Baptist church I now attend (those born and raised Baptist) think I was crazy and foolhardy. On the other hand, friends with Charismatic backgrounds lean more toward the keep walking view.

 

[wayfaring man]

I find it interesting how responses from my friends vary according to denomination. Most of my friends at the Baptist church I now attend (those born and raised Baptist) think I was crazy and foolhardy. On the other hans, friends with Charismatic backgrounds lean more toward the keep walking view.

That's because Baptists generally don't emphasize experiencing miracles in these modern times , while Charismatics generally do , albeit sometimes perhaps to an extreme which goes beyond what is true .

 

[Janet842]

It does seem that extremes are at play on both sides. Those afraid of supernatural events lose the blessings of experiencing miracles, and those focused on just the experiential are easily mislead and deceived.

 

[wayfaring man]

It does seem that extremes are at play on both sides. Those afraid of supernatural events lose the blessings of experiencing miracles, and those focused on just the experiential are easily mislead and deceived.

Yea , being spiritually circumspect and Scripturally balanced is key to being neither underdone , nor overwrought .

 

[Jeshu]

You know friends once a lightening strike hit our home - all the lights went out and a lightening bolt came down the metal chimney along with an almighty thunder clap - and curled itself up in front of the fireplace - floating like an awesome white bluish ball of lightning within lightning - right in front of the stereo for about 10-15 seconds or so before disappearing.

Most of my family stood outside watching the storm under the veranda - for apart of the dogs and one of our daughters, Natasha, we don't fear lightening storms much at all - Reuben and me had only gone back inside the house to pull the plugs of our electrical appliances out of their sockets in case we got hit.

My son Reuben and I were in the room when the bolt came down - Reuben perhaps only 1 meter and I at most 2 meters away from the event.

The interesting part of the story is that in my psychotic times I would always insist that God was right with us as a family - and point to the very spot in front of the fireplace as the place He would sit and watch us from.

God surely visited us that that evening - for no-one got hurt and nothing was damaged - while both Reuben and I had an most incredible experience of God's power right in front of our eyes. (We both felt His presence really close at the time and marvelled that we weren't hurt at all.)