A Dry and Thirsty Land

There are two words which can adequately describe the kind of summer we have been having. . .hot and dry.  Yesterday my daughter said they had been blessed with some rain just an hour south of us, but not even a drop here.  It's been so long since it last rained, I can barely remember what it is like to listen to the sound of it!

If I were to choose a word to describe the sound of rain, it would have to be "refreshing."  And nothing beats the smell of freshly falling rain.  Oh, how I would like to experience it again!  Part of me questions, "Why, Lord?  Why haven't we received any rain this summer?"  Then I hear His voice saying, "Don't ask why.  Ask what.  What will you learn through this time of dryness in your life?  Will you learn to trust Me?  Will you remember I always take care of My own?"

A song comes to mind.  It was made popular by Michael W. Smith a few years back.  The name of the song is "Healing Rain."  It speaks of another kind of rain we desperately need.  A spiritual rain of mercy and joy coming to bring relief to hard and calloused hearts.  Perhaps we need this kind of rain even more than the wet kind.  These are the words to the song, or you can listen to a YouTube version of the song at this link: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=healing+rain+michael+w+smith+lyrics&view=detail&mid=64BE44B414F9886E1BA364BE44B414F9886E1BA3&FORM=VIRE

     

Healing rain is coming down
It's coming nearer to this old town
Rich and poor, weak and strong
It's bringing mercy, it won't be long

Healing rain is coming down
It's coming closer to the lost and found
Tears of joy, and tears of shame
Are washed forever in Jesus' name

Healing rain, it comes with fire
So let it fall and take us higher
Healing rain, I'm not afraid
To be washed in Heaven's rain

Lift your heads, let us return
To the mercy seat where time began
And in your eyes, I see the pain
Come soak this dry hearts with healing rain

And only you, the son of man
Can take a leper and let him stand
So lift your hands and they can be held
By someone greater, the great I am

Healing rain, it comes with fire
So let it fall and take us higher
Healing rain, I'm not afraid
To be washed in Heaven's rain
To be washed in Heaven's rain

Healing rain is falling down
Healing rain is falling down
I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid

 

 

We have a big celebration coming in our community next weekend, commemorating "100 Years and Building."  We had our City Centennial in 2004, but it has been 100 years since our beautiful Courthouse was built, and it was time to do another "All School Reunion."  We are also throwing in a few things to celebrate our church's 90th anniversary, which was actually last year.  It would be nice to get some physical rain to green things up before everyone arrives.  And my prayer is their time here will also give them a boost of the spiritual kind!