The Pending Storm?

Posted by laurieetta on June 28, 2024 in Being Human | Leave a comment

When I first saw this painting, I was filled with nostalgia. Can you feel the coolness of the ground on your back; the poking blades of grass on your arms, the sound of distant thunder in your ear? Makes me want to go out into my backyard and lay down, although the misquotes and traffic noise from the Interstate may lessen the experience.

I love Andrew Wyeth and so I was thrilled to come across this painting on Facebook. The woman in the grass is his wife, Betsy, and their dog. The title is Distant Thunder, although an approaching rainstorm is not evident in the composition that I can see. Wyeth may have assumed the viewer would simply believe it is coming even if it isn’t evident. If that is the case, it makes the scene both serene and unsettling at the same time. It becomes filled with the tension that accompanies the calm before the storm. Perhaps Betsy saw the storm through the binoculars now laying beside her on the grass.

Pending storms can bring about quiet anticipation, filled with a sense of waiting, of being on the brink of something powerful and uncontrollable. That can be the case in life too, where we may find ourselves in similar situations—aware of approaching challenges or changes, yet unable to know if they will be a gentle rain or a torrential downpour.

Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” This reminds us that the natural world, with all its beauty and power, declares God’s glory. The thunder, the storm, the calm before it—all these elements are part of God’s creation, designed to bring us closer to him.

This painting invites us to pause and listen, to prepare and to trust. It’s a visual reminder that, in every season of life, God is present and he will always do what is for our good and for his glory. As we stand on the brink of the unknown, may we find peace and assurance in the One who controls the storm. And the One who knows what awaits us on the other side of it.

Being Human connection: Take a moment to consider the “distant thunder” in your life. What challenges or changes are you anticipating? How can you prepare your heart and mind to meet them with faith and trust in God? Spend time in prayer, asking God to reveal his presence and purpose in the midst of the approaching storm.

Featured art: Andrew Wyeth, Distant Thunder, 1961