Receive the Rain

Some days it seems the rain will never end right? Well, depending on where you are geographically or spiritually, rain can be a welcomed refreshment that brings forth life, especially to the flowers, plants, and trees. The earth seems to come alive again, bursting with color that brings hope and anticipation of new life! When God brought rain in the Bible, it was often an answer to prayer. Rain was symbolic of blessing.

Rain can also be symbolic of pain from loss, sadness or a difficult season where it seems the dark clouds just won’t go away. We long for the breakthrough of sunshine to warm our faces, and lift our spirits. I know this longing well. We wait expectantly hoping that everything we’ve heard about God is true for us. Will He come through? Will he just leave me here?

It was January 28, 2011. It was probably one of the most dreary, cold, overcast and quite depressing days ever. We were in the waiting room in the ICU. I looked out the window and this strangely beautiful snow began falling from Heaven, so gently and softly. It was a stark contrast to what was going on in that hospital and in the our family’s life. God was getting ready to take my husband Greg home to be with him in Heaven...and we waited...quietly.

We waited for the nurse to let us know when it was ok to come into Greg’s room after having taken all the tubes of the respirator equipment away so his girls could see him more peacefully. As we started our way down the hall to his room the nurse suddenly and urgently called us...”Come quickly!”...we started running down the hallway desperately trying to catch one more moment with Greg...and suddenly...he was gone. Time stood still. The room went silent for what felt like an eternity. My 14-year-old daughter looked at me across the room with shock and disbelief in her eyes. Did this really just happen???? I thought God was going to heal Daddy!

And so came the rain....and it rained hard. My family took the girls home while I finished up the business at the hospital and as I got in the car leaving the hospital for the last time, this song was playing on the radio. These are the lyrics to that song. God knew I needed in that moment to choose Him to be my Shelter in the storm.

Bring the Rain, MercyMe

I can count a million times

People asking me how I

Can praise You with all that I've gone through

The question just amazes me

Can circumstances possibly

Change who I forever am in You

Maybe since my life was changed

Long before these rainy days

It's never really ever crossed my mind

To turn my back on you, oh Lord

My only shelter from the storm

But instead I draw closer through these times

So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace

Bring the chance to be free

Bring me anything that brings You glory

And I know there'll be days

When this life brings me pain