Climate Change

 “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good,

and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

Matthew 5:45

It’s raining today...again! 

I’m more of a sunny day kind of person. 

But this morning I remembered the words of this hymn, written by Daniel W. Whittle in 1883.

Showers of Blessing

There shall be showers of blessing; This is the promise of love;

There shall be seasons refreshing, Sent from the Savior above.

               

                Showers of blessing, Showers of blessing we need;

                Mercy-drops round us are falling, But for the showers we plead.

There shall be showers of blessing—Precious reviving again;

Over the hills and the valleys, Sound of abundance of rain.

There shall be showers of blessing; Send them upon us, O Lord!

Grant to us now a refreshing; Come, and now honor Thy Word.

There shall be showers of blessing; O that today they might fall,

Now as to God we’re confessing, Now as on Jesus we call!

There shall be showers of blessing, If we but trust and obey;

There shall be seasons refreshing, If we let God have His way.

As the song weaved its way through my consciousness I began to appreciate the opportunity to sit with my Bible and devotional books,

hot coffee,

fragrant candle burning,

sounds of raindrops hitting the deck.

Retirement has become a ‘season of refreshing’ allowing me to reflect on a lifetime of busy, active service while waiting on God to help me know my place in the now.  And I admit, that sometimes it is hard to wait and ‘let God have His way.’  For me it is more about knowing what not to do, than what to do. There are so many opportunities but I’m not looking for time fillers. What I want is to walk in trust and obedience to the One who sends the times of refreshing and blessing. And I want to live a life that refreshes others.

In this present climate of accusations, hatred, cultural and political upheaval and uncertainty, perhaps a good way to start a rainy day is to do what Johnson Oatman wrote in this hymn from 1897:

Count Your Blessings

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

                Refrain:

                Count your blessings, name them one by one;

                Count your blessings, see what God hath done;

                Count your blessings, name them one by one;

                Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, ev'ry doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by.  

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessings, money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.  

So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged, God is over all;

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.  

Happy Counting!

Love,
Ruth