Staying In the Rain

It was a beautiful evening.  The air was warm and the skies were blue.  I was on my porch swing, swinging my baby to sleep and the older kids were playing in the yard.  A sudden rain began to fall - large drops, falling fast, hitting hard.

My son dropped all he was holding on to and lifted his face upward.  He stood there, motionless, taking in the rain.  Feeling the drops hit his face, soaking him through.  His sister followed suit.  She lifted her face upward and began to laugh.  Together, they opened their mouths wide and spread out their arms.  Never taking their eyes off the sky.

If only I could be more like them.  To drop what I hold so tightly when the rain hits and lift up my face to the One Who Sees.  To reach my arms out wide and receive the cup being given.  To laugh in the eye of life’s storms, knowing that I serve a God Who is my Refuge, my Shelter and Who is my Ever-Present Help in time of trouble.  To rejoice and give thanks even then.  And if instead of choosing to run away, seeking comfort on unsettled ground - if I could choose to stay.  Stay firmly looking to my God Who Sustains me through it all.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear…”  Psalm 46:1-2

“In season of suffering, we may question God’s intentions.  But sometimes His plans for deliverance are greater than our desire for relief.”  

- Palmer Chinchen