I walk to Starbucks more often than I drive now that my church is two blocks away from the grand shrine to coffee, conversations and wi-fi. This morning as I was walking back, (tall, mild coffee with cream and plentiful sugar in hand), it started to rain. But instead of running or jogging back, I decided to just enjoy getting wet. In other words I figured I'd focus on the "walk" part and not the "getting wet" part.
It reminded me of the days growing up when I and others would look forward to rain because we would play in it. It reminded me of the days as an adult when I have played in the rain with my wife, son and daughter.
Rain is energizing, healing and life-bringing for our earth, and a very present help to allergy sufferers. Whether it is a human body, a tree, a frog, or a flower, rain brings refreshment and renewal.
And I was reminded today that I need to be regularly refreshed, by the word of God, by friendships, by forgiveness, by God's Holy Spirit and by His amazing grace.
The Psalmist reminds us that "God causes the clouds to rise over the whole earth. He sends the lightning with the rain and releases the wind from his storehouses (Psalm 135:7)."
There's a famous quote that's been around for a while and I'm not sure who said it first. It goes something like this: "Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain."
I like that. I like that because there are two responses to rain: running from it or dancing in it.
And so today, as the rain continues to fall outside my window at the church, I wonder, will you embrace the God of the rain and walk with Him through it, to a place of refreshment, hope and new life?
