t was a Wednesday evening as I drove home from a late meeting at the church. As I crested the hill leading to my house I saw a black sky rolling over the Rockies, the telltale sign of a vicious Colorado thunderstorm.

As I approached my driveway the rain was coming down in sheets. Thunder was booming and lightning flashing all around me. Trees were bending low under the strong force of the gusty wind. Hail was bouncing off the street, making the road look like it was producing popcorn.

I pulled into the garage and made my way through the house and out the front door to our porch. As I stood and watched this magnificent storm unleash all of its fury on my neighborhood, I found myself speechless before the power of nature.

I suddenly realized that I was selfishly enjoying this awesome display while missing a golden teaching opportunity with my boys. I stepped back inside. "Luke! Logan! You guys have got to come see this!"

With a curiosity that seems unique to young boys, they flew down the stairs wide-eyed and waited to see what I had to show them. I motioned for them to follow me out onto the porch, a safe vantage point.

They seemed hesitant at first, fearful of the raging storm. But after some coaxing and assurance they both agreed. I watched with great pleasure as their five senses took it all in. The sound of the falling rain was deafening. The trees were waving their branches in protest against the wind. Lightning was flashing every few seconds, making the sky momentarily light up like it was noon. It was awesome!

I allowed them just to experience it for a while. Then, seeking to direct their thoughts, I said, "God sure is powerful, isn't He?"

At that, a loud crack of thunder shook the air. My oldest looked up at me and said, "Is that God's voice?"

"No. That isn't God's voice. God's voice can be much louder than that."

This led to a varied discussion comparing the power of the storm to the power of the Creator. We talked about Noah, the storm Jesus calmed, and other events that demonstrate God's magnificence. I was seeking to use something they could experience and understand to illustrate that God is no cosmic pushover!

While I'm still a parent-in-training, I'm learning that I need to take advantage of every teaching opportunity to present my children with a balanced view of God. Who knows? Maybe He does speak to us through the thunder (John 12:29; Job 37:5; Ps. 29:3; Rev. 10:3).