Growing up, I struggled with grasping why having a “fear” of the Lord is a good thing. My thoughts often sounded like, “If God is so good, why should we fear that goodness?” Maybe you’ve thought about that too. I was sitting on my front porch the other day, watching a thunderstorm roll across Oklahoma. I saw a lighting bolt flash in the distance and a few moments later, the boom of thunder followed, shaking my house to its core. Growing up, my dad taught me that counting the seconds after a lighting strike hits the sky will also tell you how many miles away that bolt was. AKA, the epicenter of the storm. My automatic reaction was to run into the safety of my house. At the same time, God struck me with an understanding of that fear. It caused me to move. To fear God, is to also revere Him, showing the utmost respect and admiration. It means that His follower has the desire and understanding to follow His commands. This fear isn’t the black and white definition you would think of originally. Not like the fear of riding a rollercoaster because no one chooses to experience a roller coaster because they “respect it.” As that lighting bolt silently danced in the sky for a split second, I was reminded of how God asks us to be still and know. In that still quiet, is where we experience His gentle whispers, nudges, and guidance. Now here’s the cool part. Our acts of obedience? That's the boom of obedience. The thunder. Deuteronomy 10:12 says, “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul..” But, that boom of thunder I heard did not occur immediately because the lightning struck miles away. Our obedience and fear of God should be so strong, that there is zero delay. When His word is given, our action follows. God should be the epicenter of our lives. The farther you are from God, the longer the delay is to follow His command. So here’s an encouragement for you today. Be obedient, stay in the epicenter of the Lord, and resist your delay. Go storm chasing with God today!!! Make some noise, a big BOOM, for a BIG God.