Loving God, precious is Your word. Speak truth and counsel to this dear reader in all that they may face today. In Christ Jesus' name, amen.
God bowled early this morning, strike after strike did He make! The rumble of that bowling ball thundered across the sky. Do you think God would bowl spares and gutter balls? Then came the flashes of the pictures God would take. Not only the best camera, but the best flash! Nothing hidden, no shadows! What memories did God want; what images did He take? Then God cried, huge tears fell on my window; just in me alone was reason enough to make God cry.
I remembered trying to explain rain to my girls. Nellie and I had fun talking about it and trying to make things interesting and fun. And yes, here in Harlingen at about 4 a.m. we had and are still having a nice rain. I need to add, much needed and asked for rain.
It's in Genesis 2:5 that the writer first explains rain. "(W)hen no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground;" this implies a shared responsibility for rain and its effects: God causes the rain and we have to "till the ground." In fact, today's Upper Room devotional is about water and most appropriate to those receiving rain. We know that some parts of the country have had more than their share, and we pray for their safety and the safety and protection of those who are homeless and without shelter during times like this.
Rain, for some people, symbolizes other things. It was and may still be, for those marrying on days of rain, an ominous sign. I remember it rained on the day I was to preach for the very first time for my Preaching class in seminary. My dear professor and I ran between buildings and he reminded me (thank you very much!) that I was to preach later in the day and I replied, "Well, I hope this rain isn't a bad sign of things to come!" He paused and smiled and said, "What, this renewing and refreshing of the earth as a bad sign? I think not!" And off he went, and blessed I stayed.
May the sound of rain and the heat of the sun always serve at least one thing, a precious reminder, God is with us!
PRAYER: Lord God of all the universe, I thank you for the rain and I thank you for each day and the joys and surprises the day may bring. I thank you for standing with me when the unexpected turns out to be less than welcome. Even then, as now, You are here and for that I am thankful. Bless and protect those who find no shelter during rain or heat or even cold. Let me be a part of the help they can receive. Bless and protect my loved ones, and let me be a blessing to them as well. I pray this in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
