rain

Rainy days can be tough can't they? That's today. Rainy. Tough. Cold. Frustrating.

I don't really like rainy days too much. They get in the way. By that, I mean that rainy days make me rethink everything. What I'm going to wear, where I'm going to go, how I'm going to drive. Rainy days get in the way of my attitude. I get annoyed by the big puddle I step in in my nice tennis shoes. Then I walk around in wet socks for several hours.

You're starting to get the picture. Rain affects everything. People... cancel meetings, don't go to church, stay at home, drive less, get in accidents, get their appearances messy...all because of rain.

It's amazing that the rain does so much good as well. Rain provides relief from heat, nourishes the ground, washes away dirt, and is neccessary for our crops. Cultures and generations prior to ours, use to pray for rain regularly. Rain made it easier for crops to grow, and in turn for people to eat and/or make an income. It seems as though now a days, many people (unfortunately, me as well) simply just find the rain to be a nuisance.

I remember that there was this time when Jesus was talking about how we treat our enemies. He said in Matthew 5, that God "causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous"

Wow, God causes rain. For a reason. There is a reason for this rain today, and it falls and good people and not so good people. I wonder if that is the reason that we equate rain with God's mercy? We say it all the time, "God, rain down Your mercy on us." Maybe use that analogy because God's mercy really is for everyone. Even the people that I don't like, or that I think don't deserve it.

Hmmm. Maybe I need to spend a little more time paying attention to the rain.

jeremy