The Gift of Rain
As I write these words it’s raining outside. That is quite appropriate in light of the words of the particular Psalm I’ve been thinking about here lately. In Psalm 65 David says “You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench the furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops.” (vs. 9-10) Clearly the Psalmist wanted to offer God praise and thanksgiving for the gift of rain. Most of us take rain for granted and at times even complain when we have too many rainy days in a row. Perhaps we should remember here that David lived in an arid region. People who live in deserts cannot take rain for granted. Neither should we.
The rain that interferes with our outdoor activities and causes things to be “messy” remains one of God’s wonderful and priceless gifts. Without the gift of rain there wouldn’t be food on our tables. Without the gift of rain our rivers and lakes would dry up. Without the gift of rain there would be no life. The Psalmist recognized this. In the remainder of Psalm 65 he adds, “You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the desert overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.” (vs. 11-13)
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. I suspect that you, like me, have much to give thanks for. Like most everyone else I will give thanks for my family and friends, for my health and home, for food to eat and clothes to wear. I will give thanks for my country and the freedoms we enjoy. I will offer thanks for my salvation made possible through Jesus Christ and for my church. Taking my cue from the Psalmist, this year I also intend to give thanks for the natural elements God has given to sustain us. I will give thanks for the rain and water, for the air that we breathe, for the rich earth or soil, and for the sun and its light. These basic elements are the foundation of our lives. They are also all gifts of God. So let us “shout for joy and sing.” And, yes, by all means, let us also give thanks!
–Chuck
P.S. Rob and I would like to wish all of our readers a happy and blessed Thanksgiving. We are very grateful that you take the time to read SeeingCreation.com!
(Both of the images above were taken in the Tremont area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.)