Why can't we just say - Thank You?

      I sit listening to the wind blow against my window. I see the bare trees bending with each gust, and the rain drops flow from heaven. We were dry not more than a few weeks ago, parched and praying. We prayed for rain. The trees stood limp and the dry grass brown, waiting. All we heard from every station, every forecast, was how badly we needed rain...how bad the drought was. Through the summer our state was on fire. We choked from smoke filled skies, and tears fell as the sight of burning trees stung our eyes - our forest burned. We felt the dryness of our land. Those who believe in God, prayed. Are there many of us left? The dryness hasn't just consumed the land, it started with the people.

      Hearts have become dry here. Souls burn for what is not of God. The unnatural has replaced the natural and men think by removing God from every establishment, somehow they can remove the eyes of Him who sees all things, at all times, in all places. How does one remove God? Yes our ground was parched and dry, but not as dry as the people's hearts that burn with lust for ungodly things. God cannot be removed, but He will leave us to ourselves, to reap what we have sown.

And yet in His mercy, He sent rain.

Are we praising Him for it? Are we singing the hallelujah song? What do we hear across the land?

Fear of floods! Fear of mud slides! Too much rain!

Oh dry people, parched souls, how our constant complaining must hurt the ears of God. Step outside and feel the rain from heaven. Accept God's gift and be wet with His mercy. Lets turn our eyes and hearts to Him. He longs to gather us up in His arms of love; to be our foundation that stands firm in the storms. The solid rock that cannot be washed away by waves or floods, or mud slides; steadfast and immovable. Those things that beat against the outside are nothing compared to what beats against our souls, inside and eternal. Go out into the rain and look up. Let Him wash from our souls what keeps us far from Him and bring us close.

He has sent His gift to call us back, to cause us to look to Him. Be thankful. Accept it. Say thank you!