The Voice Of The Lord

The voice of the LORD echoes above the sea.

The God of glory thunders.

The LORD thunders over the mighty sea.

The voice of the LORD is powerful;

the voice of the LORD is majestic.

The voice of the LORD splits the mighty cedars;

the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon. Psalm 29:3-5

WHEN WE READ PSALM 29, we get the sense that David is looking up at the sky, watching the progress of a storm sweeping over all of Israel. But he’s not just watching it. He is hearing what the Lord seeks to say to him through it.

The scene opens in heaven, where supernatural beings are paying homage to the Lord, worshiping him as the splendor of his holy presence surrounds them. But then the magnificent presence of the Lord moves from heaven to earth like a storm rushes across the sky. After first appearing over the unruly Mediterranean Sea, the Lord’s presence bears down on land as it thunders from the north of Israel, where Lebanon’s massive cedar trees are split by its force, down the whole length of Canaan to the wilderness of Kadesh, where his power leaves behind twisted oak trees and stripped forests. Anyone who has ever experienced a storm with thunder, bolts of lightning, and tree-twisting, forest-stripping winds has a sense of what David is describing.

The Lord’s voice is shattering. The same voice that splits the mighty cedars of Lebanon can cut through any resistance our children have toward God. The Lord’s voice is striking, piercing like a bolt of lightning. This voice can speak to our child like a gentle rain of gradual understanding or like a lightning strike of life-changing insight. The Lord’s voice is shaking. It can jolt our children out of their apathy and comfort. The Lord’s voice is stripping. Just as it leaves the forest bare, it can peel away negative attitudes and arguments from our children’s hearts and minds.

Lord, we can’t help but long for ________ to sense your power and hear you speak. Won’t you sweep down over our home in the way David saw you sweeping through Israel from north to south? Come reign as king in our hearts forever.