Tracking Storms and more

After leaving the office this afternoon, I picked up the dogs from grooming and headed home. We were stopped at the stoplight, wondering why it was suddenly getting so dark. I asked my smartphone if it was going to rain, and the smart-aleck British accent replied, "I'd say it was likely," and gave me a weather report screen full of raindrops. 

Just as I looked up, a truck came barreling around the corner, in a hurry. There was a big sign on the side of the truck. "STORM TRACKER". I was really glad it was going in the opposite direction from my house. 

As I was driving, I thought about trackers as hunting guides, and considered the possibility that the STORM TRACKER might be some kind of storm-hunting guide. If that is the case, I reasoned, someone must want to catch a storm. That led me into an off-key rendition of "Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket" (the only part of the song I remember) and back to the question of what to do with a storm when you catch it, as putting it in your pocket seems like a really bad idea. 

In my usual rambling way, I wondered why someone wants to catch a storm anyway. Catching a storm would be worse than catching a cold. The desire to watch a storm is almost understandable, but if I caught a storm, which would definitely be by accident, I would let it go.

As you might have recognized by now, I can keep myself entertained for hours with this meandering mind of mine. 

At last, my consideration of catching storms brought me to the thought, "But God was not in the storm". The idea comes from 1 Kings 19:11, which actually says, "But God was not in the wind."  Elijah was having a whiny day and was hiding in a cave when he encountered God. There was a storm, an earthquake, and a fire. Elijah was actually having a bad day and a whiny day! Anyway, God was not in any of it. Finally, Elijah encountered God in that Still Small Voice that very gently spoke to him. 

If you ask me, if you are going to track something, it should be the Still Small Voice. Forget tracking storms. That Still Small Voice is the thing you should be seeking. And that reminds me of something else. When you seek the One who speaks with the Still Small Voice, you find more than you expected, but you are really glad you did!

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33 KJV)