Photo and Commentary ©2023 by Cheryl Boardman
Monday, September 4, 2023
If you’ve ever been in a major thunderstorm (nothing like I’ve experienced in Western Washington), you may have been woken up by the thunder and been amazed by the flashes of lightning lightening the sky!.
I was looking for kindling one day and found this wood at a local grocery store. Whoever put up the display, obviously didn’t think about the fact that wet wood doesn’t burn very well! At the time, I had a wood stove as my main source of heat so I wasn’t very impressed.
Psalm 97 talks about God reigning over the whole earth. The first part of this reminds me of a thunderstorm and how God can really get our attention. A little bit of wet kindling wouldn’t stand in His way!
The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.
Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him
and consumes his foes on every side.
His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all peoples see his glory.
All who worship images are put to shame,
those who boast in idols—
worship him, all you gods!
Zion hears and rejoices
and the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments, LORD.
For you, LORD, are the Most High over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
Let those who love the LORD hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light shines on the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name.
Psalm 97 (NIV)