Praising in the Rain

Praising in the Rain

Although not personally in a rain storm right now, I know several people who are. Some of them I know well and some I don’t know at all. I pray when people ask me to pray and when the Holy Spirit prompts me to. I have friends with ill children; some very ill. A dear saint in our church recently found out she has breast cancer. A beloved girl whom I’ve known since she was a child is fighting cancer also. There are numerous among us without jobs and struggling financially. I write for them-those I know and love and those I do not know but love nonetheless.

It has been pouring rain for several days now here in Texas. It would seem there is a huge dark cloud has specifically chosen our wonderful state to dump on. We have needed the rain in some parts and are thankful for it. Other parts, not so much. The rain is expected to continue with thunderstorms likely. At times the rain is a soft, slow rain- good for curling up with a book. At times there is a downpour, causing flooding in low lying areas. Sometimes I hear thunder. Sometimes the wind blows so hard I think the tree branches that hang over my house will come through the ceiling!

I’m here at home alone for a few days and I do not know if my senses are especially keen because of it. What I really think is the Holy Spirit is using the time to whisper sweet somethings in my ear. I woke up at 2:22 a.m. this morning, thirsty. I sipped a cool drink of water and listened to the rain. Then I realized the rain was not the only thing I could hear outside. A bird was singing. At 2:22 in the morning. During a rainstorm. Huh. Odd on several levels. While I pondered this, sleep overtook me once again and I drifted back into dreamland to the sound of rain and a bird singing.

At 4:08 a.m. I woke up again, thirsty. I sipped another cool drink of water. It was still raining and yes, “my” bird was still singing! Then it struck me. I need to write because someone needs to hear this. Maybe Jennifer, maybe Annette, maybe Robin. Perhaps one of the young mothers who is worried about her sick child. Once again, I drifted off.

Now it is 6:30 a.m. and the bird is still outside in the rain singing at the top of its’ little bird lungs! He either does not know its raining or he doesn’t care. It has not stopped the song he must sing. The song of praising Jesus! Yes, even during the wind and the rain he is praising our Lord! Can we be like that? Of course! You see, he certainly knows it’s raining but he is not letting the rain stop his praise song. His feathers are most certainly being ruffled and I’m quite sure he’s soaked but does he care? He sure doesn’t seem to. He’s been singing at least 4 hours without taking a break.

To my dear friends who are battling cancer or some other serious malady, to the ones who face unemployment the rainstorm is a picture of what they are going through. There are days when things aren’t too bad, like when the rain is falling softly. But there are brutal days when chemo has them violently ill and they believe they cannot bear it one more day. This is the wind and thunder. Now I know they praise the Lord even in the storm. I know this because I know them. They remind me of that little bird outside my window singing all through the dark night while the storm pounded around him. They, too sing through their dark night of cancer while chemo storm racks their tired, sore bodies.
The unemployed, concerned about mortgages and car payments rely on Jehovah-jireh, the One Who provides. The young mothers who pace the floor holding hot little bodies close to their hearts are walking through a storm of illness. They are faithful followers of Christ and know they are to cast their cares upon Him, which they do. But this is their baby so they worry. They do not give up trusting Jehovah-rapha, the One Who heals. Their lullabies in the darkest of nights are praise songs to the One who is Master over the storm that rages. He is the One who calmed the sea and they remember. So they continue to praise all through the sleepless nights while fevers rage.

I am thankful, so thankful that I am in a season of peace. But I know all too well that a storm will most definitely come again. Maybe a small rain but perhaps a thunderous storm with lightening and wind awaits me or my loved ones. I pray that we, like the bird who sings in the rain, will be able to praise Him. Even in the storm.