The Pentential Rains

We experienced a violent, drenching rainstorm last night.  The thunder and lightening was intense.  My little dachshund sat on the bed, staring at the bedroom window with her ears perked up.  She whined and woofed looking at me with her big brown eyes.  In my imagination she was thinking:  "Mommie!  What is all of that noise & light?  I'm so scared!  Is God sending down fire bolts to burn down our house?  All I want to do is snuggle under the bed and be close to my mommie!  I don't want to hear this awful noise!"  The thunder and lightning passed even though the heavy raindrops still pounded on the roof. My little pooch was scared, but I prayed, thanking the Lord for the glorious RAIN that we desperately need.  Texas is in the midst of a severe drought.  The rain lately has been such a blessing.  Spring is alive and in full swing.  The only bad thing about all of the moisture is the amount of weeds infesting my lawn.. 

Rain cleans out the air, it makes the beautiful flowers bloom, it fill ups our lakes, and it provides drinking water.  Yes, it's terrible to drive through and creates damage in torrential flood conditions.  Yet, God gave us rain to help sustain life!  When I suffered through the hottest summer on record (with no rain) I felt parched, dried up, uncomfortable, lifeless.  I desperately wanted to see at least one rain cloud build up in the blue sky.  Nothing!

I find it intriguing how all the rain we've experienced has coincided so closely with the Season of Lent.  I equate the rain as tears from heaven!  I see the Lord crying out:  "Please, Come back to me!  I have so much grace to pour out to you!  Will you tell me your deepest secrets?  I'm here to forgive you for all of the things you've done to offend me!"  Those rain drops touch my hair and my skin.  The coldness and wetness reminds me of what I've done to offend God.  His tears are telling me to change my sinful ways.  That bolt of lightening and thunder of a rainstorm is signaling to me to stop what I'm doing wrong and seek Christ's forgiveness.  Lent is a time of fasting, almsgiving, and penance.  The rain signifies God's love for creation and sustaining life. However, it can resemble God's sadness at his precious humans for being so selfish, so cruel, so unloving, and so departed from his laws.  God's tears of sadness can turn into tears of joy when I follow Christ's ways and not my own selfish ways. What can I do to make amends?  What can I do to harvest the precious rain water for the good of my soul?

-J.