The rain began on Sunday and it hasn’t stopped. While Saturday was bright, sunny, and warm, Sunday dawned cloudy, and by afternoon torrential rain was falling. The temperature dropped by 30 degrees.
The earth was dry and parched. Large blotches of brown grass began filling up the spring lawns in city parks and outside suburban homes. The earth is drinking in this rain like it is dying. It can’t get enough. There are barely puddles because the ground is absorbing it so quickly.
While I don’t like the wet and cold, we need the rain desperately. The earth begs for it.
I think about dry earth and I think about dry souls; how one needs water and the other living water. I see the earth respond to the rain and when the sun comes again we will see sunlight sparkling off brilliant colors.
I have had many times when my soul has been like the dry earth, desperate for rain. Souls dry faster and take longer to water than the earth, partly because the one with the soul doesn’t always see the need.
My soul has been dry lately. I go to pray and I struggle with concentration. I go to read the Bible, and the words blur before tired eyes. Yes – my soul has been dry. The difference between the earth needing rain and my soul needing living water is this: the earth must wait for the rain. It can’t produce it, no dance before the gods will make it rain. Since the beginning of time we humans have tried to manipulate the heavens into doing what we want, into giving us what we desperately need. But it doesn’t work that way. It rains when it rains and no amount of sacrifice will change that.
But living water for the soul? That is readily available. It is in the prayers said through the centuries; it is in the Bible, whether it be leather or cloth bound, large print or red-letter edition. It is in the fellowship of the saints, it is in the Church. This living water is available – but it also takes action on my part. It takes recognition of the dry and willingness to go to the source of water.
So as I trudge through the streets, trying to guard my face against pelting rain, I think of these things. I think of the dry earth, even now soaking up the blessed rain. I think of how redemptive rain is to this earth, saving it from drought. And I pray for my dry soul, that I will be willing to go to the source where there is abundant and redemptive, living water. And I pray that as my soul drinks in that water, it will sparkle with brilliant colors from the Son.
Photo Credit: http://pixabay.com/en/drops-of-water-raspberry-leaf-green-352435/
