My sweet neighbor likes to talk about the weather. She has a rain gauge and she is not ashamed to discuss it. She is constantly making commentary on our need for rain, or rejoicing in a measurable shower. Sometimes I smirk to myself that she seems so pleased with a condition that simply threatens my convenience and slows my progress.
Why am I not concerned when it's dry? Why am I bothered and not grateful when it rains? I'm not trying to grow anything. I have low-maintenance shrubs and otherwise no vegetation to speak of. She has rose bushes, pear trees, and many other flowering plants. The beauty of her blooms depends greatly upon the weather.
Presently, we are experiencing extreme heat and drought. Stumps from the bottom of ponds stand tall and dry. Lawns of brittle straw scorch in the heat of the day while man and beast battle dehydration. What began as an issue of fruitfulness literally boils down to a matter of life and death.
The Psalmist writes:
God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
Weather can have a sobering effect on the pride of self-sufficiency. Tornadoes show power and cause feelings of powerlessness. Too much rain too quickly cannot be absorbed. Too little rain for too long cannot be tolerated. We build our societies on the foundation of our own ingenuity. But in a flash, it can be washed or blown away. And with subtle destruction and relentless endurance, the days can wither away.
We are not.
We are given a choice to place our hope and find our joy in Him.
He has promised to complete the good work which He has begun.
He has promised to hear us when we call out to Him and satisfy our longings.
Do we pray for rain?
Drought is not a problem for those unconcerned with growth.
