According to the National Weather Service, approximately 1,800 thunderstorms are occurring at any given time across the globe. Most last about 30 minutes, refreshing the Earth with rain. Some, however, are terrible outbursts with lightning strikes and flash flooding. Summer storms can either nourish or destroy depending on just a few crucial details.

The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew…but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

Matthew 7:25

The Bible reveals a God of love, gentle and reaching towards His creation – but it also warns of a holy Creator chastening a rebellious race. To understand the apparent contradiction, many adopt the cliché, “God hates the sin and loves the sinner,” but the phrase does not adequately define a God so desperately in love with His creation that He would die for them.

Do you want a clear picture of the love of God? Look at the cross of Christ. Do you want a pure picture of the wrath of God? Look at the cross of Christ. God’s love and wrath reside in Jesus. Pray for leaders across America to encounter the holy God in Jesus Christ – and discover the incredible quandary of loving and fearing Him.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 86:1-12