There is a highway I like to drive during sunset hours. It’s like a great exhale. Some days, when all the elements are just right, I can hardly take it in. Watching the colors melt into each other will never get old.
One night this past summer, after the sun had sung its song, I turned my car around and headed home. I turned from one glory to another as heat lightning filled the night. Streaks of light ran silently wild. One by one, they reached across the sky. Each strike revealed another depth of clouds pushed together.
I replayed the sky lighting up as I tried to fall asleep later that evening. I wondered about heat lightning. I’ve always assumed it was lightning caused by heat. I was surprised to learn that heat lightning is a misnomer. The same way shooting stars are actually meteors—heat lightning is a flash from a distant storm. What we are seeing is a reflection of lightning traveling on clouds and haze. Although the thunder from a distant storm can only be heard from 10 miles away, storms are visible up to 100 miles away because of the humidity. 100 miles!
It’s crazy to think about light traveling from one cloud to the next, riding the humidity! Too wonderful!
In the book of Revelation, John records the activity around God’s throne as a storm—flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder, and rainbows. All of this is happening in the middle of worship. There are a host of creations and elders and angels declaring the Lord God is holy and worthy! All of heaven must light up with reflections of his presence. (Revelation 4)
I can’t help but wonder if my life can be like heat lightning.
Am I close enough to his presence for his light to travel on me through my days, through my thoughts, my words, my actions? If I sit at the feet of Jesus and gaze upon his beauty, if I join the continuous worship taking place around God’s throne, if I raise my voice, “Worthy is the Lamb! Be blessing and honor, glory and power,” will my life reflect his glory?
Therefore, since we have the confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that was opened for us…let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…Hebrews 10:19-25
Our lives were designed to be near God, to be in union with him. He’s provided a way for that and it’s a glorious display of might and mercy. Our actions can reach out for others and draw them towards Jesus. Our words can rumble with his presence. We get to reflect God’s glory, brighter and louder with each step we take towards him. Let’s boldly draw near!
Brave Sparrow 