Derecho

1 Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, 
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; 
worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.  - Psalm 29:1-2

May 27, 2017. It had started off as a wonderful trip into the Great Smokey Mountains. Having spent a night at a cabin in Fleetwood, we were now camped on Balsam Mountain. Although the camp had no showers, the remote and pristine setting had drawn us. Situated at 5,310 feet above sea level, the camp was almost a mile high with only 42 sites. We got there early enough to grab one of the higher campsites, on the edge of a field sheltered by some trees.

On our second day there, when we returned late afternoon from biking some mountain roads, we were called together by the camp host. He had been informed that a derecho, a widespread, fast-moving storm characterized by damaging winds, was moving across mid-Tennessee heading our way. The mountains could move the storm one of two ways. If it did come our way it would arrive between 10 pm and 1 am, in case people wanted to leave.

We decided to pack everything into the mounted metal bear box, so we’d only have to take down the tent in the morning, rationalizing that if the storm was severe, there was a stone bathhouse that we could take shelter in. It was a beautiful night as we settled ourselves down in our two man backpacking tent, after singing around a campfire with new found friends till 10:00 pm. Maybe the storm had been diverted. 

Around midnight it came, and it came fast. There was no running to the shelter of the stone bathhouse. The rain was driven by very high winds that would smack the roof of the tent flat on top of us, hold it there, and then pull back. We had to brace our arms above our face to keep from getting hit repeatedly by our own tent. One neighbor had pulled out since their tent had collapsed in the wind and the rain. Our buddy across the field from us, had his tent rolled... with him still in it. 

But it was the lightning and thunder that were the most terrifying. We were one mile up, in the midst of a derecho, which the next day’s papers would testify had swept across the state leaving a swath of destruction. We would not be able to leave camp the next day by the planned road because it was littered with felled trees. But that was tomorrow. At present we were flat on the ground under an onslaught of wind and rain, with flash after flash of lighting, and continuous peals of thunder. All we could do was pray.

And pray we did. Actually, it was worship. We were in terrifying awe. Yes, we were very aware that a felled tree or a lightning strike could take us out. We both examined our consciences and entrusted our outcome to our God and king. But to be there, in the heart of the storm, facing just a fraction of the might and power of God... glory!!

3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; 
the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over many waters. 
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; 
the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; 
the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.  - Psalm 29:3-5

Robin shared last week that the worship songs of old are often more about God and less about us. I wonder if at least part of the reason for that is the past generation’s greater exposure to, and dependence on, the elements. It is “news” when weather affects the course of our life.

7 The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire. 
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; 
the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 
9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth 
and strips the forests bare, 
and in his temple all cry, "Glory!"  - Psalm 29:7-9

A great thing about this type of exposure to God: it sets “me” in a much more accurate perspective. I am quite small. Quite insignificant. He is vast, and mighty, and awesome.

I am not worthy of worship, but seek it.

He is worthy of all worship, but stoops down to draw near to me. 

Sometimes in a nighttime derecho.