A Reason for the Rain

We are experiencing an unprecedented amount of rain here in Northern California. The kids and I have consumed the entirety of their school break indoors, under blankets, and sipping hot beverages. Given that we spent the last year drowning in rain and basically kayaked our way out of Mississippi, you can understand why the perpetual cloud cover, wind chill, and dampness of the last two weeks are wearing on us all. I don’t think it was a simple coincidence that led me to read the story of Noah and the flood this morning in my Bible reading. Oh, very funny, I said into the silence of my living room, knowing only God could hear me. I blew out a deep breath of exasperation and prayed, Okay fine, I’ll submit that rain is necessary; it serves a purpose. But why does there have to be so much of it??

I think we can all agree that rain is an important, albeit inconvenient, part of life. So long as it leaves as quickly as it came, we can endure it, understand it even. After all, the landscape is so much greener after it rains, and the air smells fresh and clean. We see the beauty the rain left in its wake and say, Oh that was totally worth it. But isn’t there such a thing as too much rain? At some point, we all say Enough already! Bring back the sun! Surely Noah and his family were mumbling those very words as they hunkered down in the ark for the fourth week straight. God had explained His reasoning for the rain, to remove the violence and corruption from the earth (Genesis 6:11-13), but I bet that brought little comfort as the flood waters rose, the ark rocked, and the unrelenting rain and clouds overwhelmed the lone survivors. But then it was over. The rain ceased, the waters receded, and Noah’s family was left with an everlasting covenant with the Lord. Their little family had been handpicked by the Creator to repopulate the earth and to care for the land (Genesis 9:1-17). As the rainbow filled the sky above them I imagine those long months in the ark seemed altogether worth it.

The story of the flood compelled me to look up all the times the word “rain” appears in the Bible. It turns out rain, if not used metaphorically, is used almost exclusively for blessing or consequence. In many cases, the rain was used to display the power of God, proving His existence to an unbelieving crowd. Whatever the context, it always served a clear purpose. When I step outside today and feel the cold droplets on my scalp and squish oversaturated ground beneath my feet, perhaps instead of pouting and searching the skies for the sun, I should instead search my heart. Is this rain bringing conviction? My heart needs cleansing. My sinful habits need to be washed away. This new year needs a fresh start. Is this rain bringing blessings? Oh, how refreshing to be showered with His love and favor. What a joy to receive His gifts overflowing and to splash in the puddles they make around my feet. He has been so very good to me. Maybe this rain is here to remind me I serve an Almighty God who “when he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses” (Jeremiah 10:13). I could use a healthy dose of humility. I need to be brought to my knees before my all-powerful God. When I find the reason for the rain, my heart is changed for the better. It is always worth it.

When I lived in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, the rain came in the form of monsoons, quickly and unexpectedly. I’d see the black clouds rolling in across the valley and within minutes I was caught in a torrential downpour. Arizonans love monsoons. Ya know why? Because they arrive in the peak of summer, just as the temperatures outside have reached triple digits and they’re convinced spontaneous combustion is a real possibility. But when a monsoon hits, the temperature plummets to a balmy 80 degrees. Kids can be seen playing in the streets, relishing the rain, wishing it would stay. Rainfall in the desert is a welcome relief. So it is when God showers His blessings upon us.

I have also visited places where the rain came only in the depths of winter. Each drop was an icy dart pelting my already frozen skin. I would duck under every covering I could find, tuck my hood around my head and yearn for a fireplace to thaw my frozen fingers. Even after a warm shower and a change of clothes, I still couldn’t shake the chill in my bones. In those instances, the rain was an unwelcome visitor to be avoided at all costs. So it is with consequences and convictions bestowed on us by a Father who loves us.

It’s futile to resist the rain. When it falls, it falls, and there’s nothing we can do about it. The best we can do is be prepared. We pop open our umbrellas, don our raincoats and galoshes, (and maybe reach for the waterproof mascara). If we’re lucky, we can avoid going out altogether and just stay inside with a good book and a mug of hot coffee. But most of us have errands to run, a job to commute to, appointments to keep, and kids to shuttle. We must live with the rain. We will inevitably get at least a little wet. Is that really so bad? It’s only water after all. Perhaps walking around with remnants of rain on our faces, hair, and clothing can remind us of who brings the rain in the first place. Whether the rain we carry on us as we walk through the door chills us or refreshes us, it is serving a purpose.

California has a perpetual drought problem. Most summers there is a cap on water usage and the wildfire risk is horrifically high. California, it seems, is always in desperate need of rain. The past two weeks have been nothing but wet and the forecast for the next seven days shows more of the same. Exhausted as I am with the rain, I am eagerly looking forward to the warmer months when I know the hills will be lush and green instead of their usual brittle and beige. Perhaps we’ll see a year without destruction from fires. Perhaps this summer Californians will stick their heads under their faucets and indulge in cool, clean water to their heart’s content. Oh, how worth it all this rain will be!

There is a reason for the rain. All can’t be made new unless there is rain to wash away the old. Growth cannot happen and life would fail to flourish if not for rain. We can’t appreciate the warmth of the sun’s rays or the clarity of the blue skies if we never see the clouds. Imagine if we never heard the rumble of thunder or saw the electrified flash of lightning dart through the night sky. Imagine if we never shivered at the howl of the wind outside our windows or fell asleep to the patter of raindrops on our roof. Each is a unique piece in God’s natural orchestra, a reminder of His faithful presence. Imagine if we were never surprised by the presence of a rainbow peeking through an overcast sky. Imagine if we never caught its vibrant colors just in time before it faded into thin air. God’s promises reside in rain.

I think I’ll go step outside.

“Listen, you heavens, and I will speak; hear you earth, the words of my mouth. Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” -Deuteronomy 32:1-4