The Rains Descended

 I woke up before dawn and sat at this computer to write after reading my Bible. In the middle of that writing, I heard a distant thunder. Time elapsed and I heard the thunder again only much closer. The thunder shook the windows right where I sat. The rains descended. It seemed like God opened the faucet and the torrential rains poured down like a waterfall. It is now nearly four in the afternoon. It has rained much of the day. Heavy downpours followed by drizzle. 

Even as I write this the thunder is still rolling and still rattling the windows where I sit at this computer. I am not sure how much precipitation we got today. Forecasts predicted between one and two inches. It certainly seems like we are way past one inch. 

All this rain made me think about some scriptures. 

Matthew 7:24-27 (NASB)
²⁴  "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
²⁵  "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.
²⁶  "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
²⁷  "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall."

Please note in verse 25 Jesus said, "the rain fell." That is true for all of us. The rain, winds, and floods come. Not far from where I write this, millionaires live. They live jet set lifestyles. Down the road the other direction people live in old mobile homes that have seen better days. The fact is true that no matter the economic status people who got outside today got wet. The rain fell on everyone. 

Substitute trials for rain. The fact is still true. Everyone faces adversity. Storms come to people. I talked to a man last night who recounted how he had been sick for three days. I talked to someone else about a family member that is in the middle of some storms. Brenda came home sick from work yesterday afternoon. I had a touch of the same thing earlier today. I know a professional under attack at work as people seek to replace him. Another is recovering from a severe car wreck. Storms come. 

The point of Jesus' teaching is what happens to people in the storms. Those who build their lives on the shifting sands of anything else but God will find there is no firm footing. Can our lives stand the test of time through deaths of those we love, unexpected health issues like strokes, tragedies, betrayal, and hundreds of other things that blow into our paths unexpectedly bringing heavy rain with them. We cannot escape this reality. Money cannot buy enough protection. We cannot surround ourselves with enough security. The rains still descend. 

Many a life crumbles when the rain of trials fall. People grasp for anything to help. They dull the pain with alcohol, drugs, illicit sex, and other vain things that cannot help. Nothing can insulate us from disease, death, disasters, and the deluge of sorrows. They come to all of us. 

What is the foundation of your life? Is it God and His word? Many times, in the toughest seasons of life I've turned to God and His word for strength and comfort. My Bible is highlighted with passages that remind me of God encounters that helped me in the toughest seasons. Scriptures like [Ps 46:1], [Ps 50:15\, [Ps 55:22\, [Is 40:30-31\, [Is 41:10], [Matt 6:25-33], [Matt 7:7-8], [John 5:17], [John 16:33], [Acts 16:25] and many others. I have found God a faithful and firm foundation. Stable. Reliable. Trustworthy. Rock solid. He has been a refuge when the rains descended. He has been strength. He has been comfort. He has also been wisdom, healer, provider, and a host of things needed in critical hours of crisis. 

There comes a time when people hit rock bottom. Where they have no other place to turn but to God. Everything else is hollow. Some of the strongest people I know have suffered much from the storms of life and have leaned on God. They are resilient. They are joyful even while suffering. Such people are an inspiration to me. They do not pout in bitterness in their trials. They stand strong like a tree deeply rooted. They do not crumble nor topple. They bend with the winds and sway back and forth. They do not break. They have built their lives on the faithfulness of God. I hope we will do the same thing as well.