In Awesome Wonder | Devotional

“In Awesome Wonder” invites you into a night draped in quiet mystery, where the stillness of nature is both a sanctuary and a stage for the awe-inspiring power of the Divine. This piece measures 24 by 18 inches and 12 by 9 inches, drawn in oils and enriched with digital layers that deepen the textures and shadows, pulling you into its hushed atmosphere.
At the heart of this scene rests a humble cabin, its windows aglow with warm light that breathes life into the darkness. Nestled gently on a cresting hillside, it offers a refuge amid the wider world’s vastness. Nearby, a leafless tree stands in silent witness, its bare branches reaching upward like open hands curling toward the heavens. Behind them, a mountain peak, dusted with snow and wrapped in soft mist, hints at the timeless rhythms of creation—silent but unyielding.

Above, the sky commands attention, a restless expanse of deep blues and blacks, thick with rolling clouds swept by sudden, brilliant forks of lightning. These flashes break into the night, pure and white, illuminating the heaviness around them with an electric urgency. The horizon shimmers faintly with the promise of light—orange and yellow hues that suggest the first edges of dawn or the gentle fade of sunset. This border between darkness and light calls to mind Psalm 29:3-4: “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.”

In this moment captured on canvas, the drama of the storm meets the calm steadiness of home. The lightning that arcs through the sky is rare in its season—winter—and in its sparkle, I find quiet signs of grace: the twinkles of light formed shape crosses, a detail that runs through much of my work as a silent reminder of protection and presence. These slender crosses punctuate the darkness gently, suggesting that even in turmoil, there is a shield of divine love.

Creating this piece was an invitation to dwell in the paradox of awe and peace. Lightning, with its sudden, wild energy, becomes a symbol of God’s awesome power—mighty, uncontainable, and deeply reverent. Yet, the warm windows of the cabin remind us that we are invited to rest beneath this power, embraced and sheltered.

“In Awesome Wonder” whispers an encouragement from Psalm 97:2: “Clouds and darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.” In the storm’s embrace, there is a still place to stand, a sanctuary where we can witness the majesty of God’s voice and know His righteousness. The interplay of light and shadow in this work is a call to behold God’s glory—with its grandeur, its mystery, and its unfailing protection.

May this image draw you into a quiet moment where the raw forces of nature and the tender light of home meet. Here, in the hush between lightning and calm, may your soul find awe wrapped in peace, and may you rest secure under the shelter of His mighty hand.