More breathtaking than fireworks, lightning exploded in the night sky. For miles around there was nothing but fields and lightning. Black filled with light; blazing paths and brilliant flashes of light sliced across rolling clouds. It wasn’t raining. But we were surrounded by God’s own melodic composition. I’d never seen anything quite like it. We drove in silence, mesmerized. Perfectly timed, a song began.

Our God is great. The Father of creation, His splendor fills the earth. The lightning crash. The thunder sings His praises. The galaxies can’t help but shout His worth. My soul must sing to You an offering. How great You are! My soul must sing, oh, let the heavens ring. How great You are! Oh, how great You are!”

An invisible drummer synced lightning and song. Percussion, strings, rhythm, tempo- all aligned in radical harmony with God’s creation. And the heavens burst with the glory of God! My struggling heart soaked it in, overwhelmed with God in His spectacular beauty.

On my mind had been thoughts of a family and the long wait. I’d been grappling with another month’s disappointment. Two red lines had not appeared. Not pregnant. “Ami I’m doing something bigger.” 

The God who corrals lightning for His personal symphony is great. Stars sing to Him. The galaxies shout His name, and creation kneels. This God is doing much more than I understand. How great the power of harnessed lightning, but greater still is the power of the Gospel! If lightning is mighty, how much more power raised Christ from the dead?

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” Romans 1:16  Uncertainty gave way to worship. “Oh how great You are!” I praise you. My life is an offering.

The Word made flesh, God’s promise to the fallen, He came with pow’r to save. The light of life was crushed for our rebellion. He died our death and rose up from the grave. Our King will come with trumpet blasts resounding to claim His blood-washed bride. He’ll rend the skies, descending in His glory. And in an instant faith will turn to sight”

And I knew I could praise Him in the wait. I could praise Him even if there were never dark headed, blue-eyed babies. I get to be an instrument, but the symphony is not for me. It’s about His glory, His fame, His renown. And He deserves it.

For the Word came. For He was crushed. For He was risen. For He purchased back His own, and He is coming. In “an instant faith will turn to sight!”

“For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.” Luke 17:24 

Imagine lightning seen all around the world! And so shall it be when Christ comes again. All will see, His reign so radiant and unmistakable. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Philippians 2:10)

But here we are. Three years later faith has not yet turned to sight. No blue-eyed babies fill the house with laughter. Further still, no husband drives through country roads. But tonight the sky exploded again with radiant, syncopated lights crashing as symbols. I watched with calm heart soaking it in.

And I remember. I worship the God who comes like lightning. I praise Him in the long wait. I don’t write the song. It’s not my symphony. Mine would have no rhythm: the mindless banging of a toddler. But He conducts a infinite orchestra, each instrument intricately woven in complex, ravishingly beautiful composition.

He’s the conductor, the musician, and the composer. It’s His masterpiece. And it is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.

The lightning! (For some reason I couldn’t load the video here. So check it out at aNew Season) “How Great You Are” © 2012 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP) inspired by “How Great Thou Art” by Stuart Hine (1949), music and words by Joel Sczebel and Pat Sczebel.