THE THUNDER OF GOD'S POWER

My twenty-four year old friend Andrew was dying of leukemia. I wrote his mom this letter.

Dear Cathy,

Early in the morning, when the whole world is quiet I can hear a train whistle-- so far off in the distance. I know when its flute-like horn sounds; somewhere a train is rolling down the tracks.

By its faint whisper, I absolutely know this train is real. Job 26:13-14 says of God: “By His breath the skies become fair; His hand pierced the gliding serpent. And these are but the outer fringe of His works; how faint the whisper we hear of Him.”

It seems, too much of life is lived only knowing God in a whispering fashion. The scripture goes on to say, “Who then can understand the thunder of His power?”

Cathy, may you know God not as a mere whisper, but understand Him in the thunder of His power.

There is no way I can fathom what you are experiencing as a mother. Me? I’m praying for a miracle. You know—the thunder of God’s power.


God bless you…Rick

Eight days later Andrew died.

A few days before his death, four of us gathered around Andrew’s hospital bed— Andrew’s mom, his girlfriend, our mutual friend John and me. We prayed, we sang: “Our God is an awesome God…” We cried. We trusted God.

And Andrew heard the inviting whisper of God that day. He trusted the salvation words of Jesus Christ: “Whosoever believes in Me shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Andrew understood; his sins caused a separation between God and him-- with eternal consequences. Andrew accepted Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to reconcile himself into a right relationship with God.

This is God’s power, His thunder at its best—even angels celebrate.