Healing Rain

"It seems it never rains in Southern California ...... but, man, it pours!" Anyone remember this song? Or am I showing my age here!:) Well, anyway, that kind of describes the weather we have been having here! Lots of rain, pouring rain, drizzling rain, steady rain! Did I mention wind too! I know we are a bit spoiled in sunny California, and when we have weather (and I realize Californians are a bit clueless on what real "weather" means), it catches us by surprise.

As we started our first week of Reflections here in Bakersfield, I was reflecting on this weather, this steady rain, we have been having. Since we are spoiled, sometimes rain makes us change our minds about going out, especially if we don't really need to! I mean, we don't want to get wet, do we!? We don't wear the right kind of shoes for that, and who has an umbrella handy! It is silly, I know, and I was hoping that the ladies coming to the study this week would not let the rain be a discouragement.

Then... a different view of the rain came to mind. Instead of thinking it could be a hindrance, I begin to think of it more as a symbol, an invitation, from God. Could this rain be God giving us a visual, a reminder? Could He be calling us, out into the rain, inviting us to be brave and stand still in the downpour, tilt our gaze upward to the sky, close our eyes, and let His "healing rain" wash us completely clean, white as snow? Wow. Yes, it could be. Suddenly the rain was beautiful and welcomed. The promise of God washing away our fears, anxieties, sin, our past... the possibility of feeling so clean before God - filled me with joy. This describes the journey of Reflections.

God's "healing rain" drew all the women to the study this week! The next 10 weeks will be a time of quietness and stillness, focusing on where God is taking each one of us. We hear His voice calling, "Be still, stand still in the rain of My mercy, look up to Me, and let Me wash you with my Love, let me renew you."

enjoying His rain,
Debbie