Sunday, June 10, 2012

Raindrops.

Rain.
I love the rain. I love walking in the drizzle, I love the heaviness of an approaching storm, I love downpours that soak straight to the bone.
I love the wind. Which is good, since I live in Chicago. Gentle breeze, brisk gust, strong gale, swirling round and round - I can almost fly...
Rain signifies something deeper to me, though.

The summer before I started college, I felt lost and afraid - change is a big deal for me. I had left my country, my friends, and was leaving my family. As I stood alone in the backyard overwhelmed with grief, I stepped out into the gentle rain, looked up at the sky, raindrops splashing in my face, and challenged God - Do you even care??? The wind picked up and the rain thickened in a sudden downpour. The sound of wind and rain filled my ears, whispering to me, I weep with those who weep...
Raindrops remind me of God's nearness. He is near to me in my joy, near to me in my fears, near to me in my sorrow.
God speaks his nearness into my life through rain. Also through sunshine, and pink tinged clouds, and rustling leaves, but especially through rain.
A phrase from Founder's Week at Moody a few years ago swirls around in my head: "The nearness of God is my good." It is our greatest good, our ultimate, highest good. Seek out and treasure the nearness of God. He reminds me of his nearness through raindrops. How about you?

The person I used to be.

“We all change, when you think about it. We’re all different people all through our lives. And that’s OK, that’s good, you gotta keep movin...