Rain in a Dry Land

I woke up this morning to a sound I haven't heard in a long time.  Thunder.  Lots of lightening and thunder.  The sky was flashing, the house was booming, I was excited that we were finally getting some badly needed rain.  Yet, when I looked out the window, the driveway was completely dry.  All this thunder and lightening wasn't doing anything except look and sound spectacular!

I took my shower (hoping I wouldn't get zapped in the process--I always assumed the advice on not bathing during a lightening storm due to the chance of being electrocuted was an old wives' tale until my utility company sent me a flier claiming the same thing).  I sat and had my prayer time.  More lightening, more thunder, not a drop of rain.

A whole hour went by and I started wondering if we were going to get any rain at all.  It was almost like finding fools gold when you are down to your last dollar.  And then it happened; drops of rain pinged on my roof.  Finally!!!  I looked out the window and saw a bunny drinking the first bits of water out of the gutter, something I've never seen before--even the animals are feeling the effects of the drought.  I went out into the sunroom with the surround windows and skylights so I could enjoy listening to the rain.  Next thing I know all three of my children were out there with me enjoying the rain.

We all thanked God together for sending us a good soaker of a rain.  So far it's been forty-five minutes and the rain is still coming down.  My cousin who is here visiting from Colorado Springs where they just endured evacuation due to a wildfire might even stop calling our neighborhood a tinderbox just waiting to go up in flames.

So of course I had to draw a comparison between the drought and the rain and the fools' rain to my spiritual walk.

Psalm 42 opens with:  As a deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.  My soul thirsts for God, the living God.  When can I go and meet with God?


I went a long time without having a regular prayer time.  Months, years.  I opened my Bible just enough to make it look like it was finally going to rain a good soaking rain that would make my life green up and prevent my leaves from shriveling up and falling off (my poor baby tree is not enjoying this drought at all).  I prayed every now and then-just enough to keep my life from being a complete tinderbox ready to go up in flames at the first sign of trouble.

All that time my soul was thirsty, it was parched and baking in the sun, yellow and brittle and dying from lack of rain.  Now that I am praying almost daily, my soul has greened up and is so much happier.  I am like a deer that pants after God, who daily drinks from his Word.