Deep Calls Out to Deep

My husband and I were on a plane one evening. We were coming home from a long trip. Barry was sleeping as he can, any time, any place, anywhere. Dude ca go to sleep while he’s getting in the bed. I, on the other hand, cannot. And a child crying incessantly a few rows over was not helping. 

I put on my headphones and tried to get lost in some music. All of a sudden, there was a flash outside my window. I turned my full attention toward it. Every few seconds the dull gray clouds flashed brilliantly and brightly. It was magnificent! I wanted everybody to see it, especially Barry. He was having none of it. No waking up for that one so I watched alone. I don’t know how to explain this but I was 30,000 feet in the air seemingly surrounded by lighting yet nothing about it was scary. It was simply majestic. 

I thought back to thunderstorms when I was a little girl. They were terribly frightening. My mom, who could be reactionary, used to sit us in the hall. She suffered from a lot of things, among them besides being certain we needed to sit in a hall during thunderstorms, was a pain condition. Sometimes she would cry out in the night. I remember several nights hiding in my closet during thunderstorms and hearing her crying. I could hear her through a shared wall. I would curl up as tight as I could trying to be small and soundless as if that could keep me safe. 

I never much cared for storms after that. That made this moment at 30,000 feet in the air watching lightning, thinking it was beautiful, all the more interesting. In that moment under a blanket, I felt like I was watching God perform just for me. I felt tucked up safe beside Him and that He was showing me personally just how beautiful His awesome works could be even if they are so much bigger than I am. And I felt like He was telling me, it’s okay, things are different on this side of the storm. He redeemed and restored something for me that I didn’t even know needed restoration. He didn’t have to do that; He simply chose to do it. That’s who He is. 

To comfort all who mourn and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. 

Isaiah 61:3