The Dust of His Feet

“…His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
and clouds are the dust of his feet.” Nahum 1:3

I will always remember an airplane ride I had through the thunderclouds. As terrified as I was that the plane was flying in the pitch dark, thousands of feet above the ground, I could not get myself to shut the window panel to avoid looking out the window. The lightning outside my window seemed so close, casting an eerie light on the clouds in which it flashed. The wind was blowing fiercely, causing the plane to wobble back and forth from one wing to the other. I could feel its force against the plane’s metal frame. The turbulence we experienced in the thunderstorm made the captain turn on the “Fasten seatbelt” sign. That was redundant! No one had the courage to step out into the aisle, afraid that he or she may be thrown to the ground. My life flashed before my eyes several times in that horrible space of minutes until we got out from under the storm.

I feel as though I have been in that storm the last several weeks. It is hard for me to be able to see that the Lord has had his way in the whirlwind that is my life. Last week while we were on vacation, my mom called me to say that the doctors were concerned that my dad had suffered a mini-stroke. There have been days when I have thought, What is going to be next?? Thankfully, his diagnosis was exhaustion and grief and not a stroke. He is comfortably resting at home now. Yes, life has seemed like a whirlwind. So much confusion, heartache, and unanswered questions. I have felt as though those clouds full of thunder and lightning and turbulence have taken a position directly over my head, with gale force winds of sorrow knocking me to the ground.

“If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.” Psalm 119:92

I have never been more thankful for my Bible. Without its insight, I would never know that my God has His way in the whirlwind and the storm. Those thunderclouds are actually evidence that He is all over my situation–they are the dust of His feet. The fact that they are there means that He has gone on before me. He is the Master of the lightning and thunder of my circumstances. And when He commands that they leave, they must go! I do not have any reason to be terrified in the middle of the whirlwind. My God is right in the middle of it!

I will never look at clouds the same way again after being shown the truth of what they really are.

Jesus, in You we were chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of You who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of Your will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of Your glory. (Ephesians 1:11-12). Bring me peace in the middle of the whirlwind and storm of my life. Let me remember that the clouds that bring the rain and wind are evidence that You are right here with me. May this whirlwind show me the evidence of Your glory.