“Rain is grace; rain is the sky descending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life.” (John Updike)
Today has been another rainy day in Butler, Missouri (a suburb of Kansas City).
As I got my hair cut and highlighted at my hairdresser Yvette’s salon, The Y Factor Hair and Nail Salon, I looked out her store’s big, front window with the twinkling, colored lights at the rain pouring down. It’s been raining a lot lately here in Missouri.
In the Bible, rain is often associated with God’s blessing. A few verses about rain are:
“You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it; I, the LORD, have created it.” (Isaiah 45:8)
“He provides rain for the earth; he sends water on the countryside.” (Job 5:10)
“Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.” (Joel 2:23)
Too much rain can be a curse, though, such as when the great flood came, killing everyone and everything on earth, except for faithful Noah and his family.
“For forty days the roaring floods prevailed, covering the ground and lifting the boat high above the earth. As the water rose higher and higher above the ground, the boat floated safely upon it; until finally the water covered all the high mountains under the whole heaven, standing twenty-two feet and more above the highest peaks. And all living things upon the earth perished—birds, domestic and wild animals, and reptiles and all mankind— everything that breathed and lived upon dry land. All existence on the earth was blotted out—man and animals alike, and reptiles and birds. God destroyed them all, leaving only Noah alive, and those with him in the boat. And the water covered the earth 150 days. God didn’t forget about Noah and all the animals in the boat.” (Genesis 7:17-24 – 8:1, TLB)
Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, “Into each life some rain must fall.”
In this life we face troubles.
- Marriage problems;
- Relationship conflicts;
- Disobedient children;
- Financial crises;
- Problems at work;
- Health issues;
- Ministry struggles;
- and much more.
But through it all, the “rains of life,” God never leaves us or forsakes us. The sun (the SON) will shine again.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4, NASB)
