Like Lightning

Romans 5:3b -- "And we boast in the hope of the glory of God."

In the dim light of our master bedroom I could see that outside, the night would light up each time a crack of thunder escorted lightning through the boiling clouds. The winds picked up, and now then, I could hear debris hit the glass on our windows.

No question about it - I do love a good rain storm. But -- more than two weeks into a wet holding pattern of sub-tropical weather and I'll admit that I'm ready for a peek of sunshine. I try not to complain because I remember that the Okefenokee needs this down pour. The Florida water table needs this down pour. And our formerly very dry Florida wet lands need this down pour.

Okefenokee Image: Wikipedia.org [images.fws.gov]

And then it hit me - it never rains forever. I can smile and enjoy the light show because I know that when the next low pressure system gets pushed over by a high pressure system [or vice versa], the rains will dissipate and the sun will again pop out from behind the clouds. When it does - everything will be lush and green.

One of my all time favorite song writer/singers, Michael W Smith, said: into every life a little rain must fall. And isn't that the truth?! I know that there are times when each of us is faced with a little more rain than we think we need. A family member falls ill ... AGAIN. The check book doesn't quite balance ... AGAIN ... or we have car trouble ... AGAIN.  Maybe it's work, or church, or school ... but there will be moments when we feel like throwing up our hands in despair or crying out in utter frustration.

When my very favorite pair of Sketchers air walks soaks through because the car is parked next to a puddle with more than an inch of cold rain water ... believe me, I feel the weight and semi-gloom due to so much rain. When my phone makes that really loud alert because we are under yet another flood warning I begin to wonder if this isn't more rain that we really need.

But ... God REALLY IS in complete control of the weather. The stuff both outside my windows and in my life.

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge - Image: © Chris Cami Photography

In his book Lightning, Dean Koontz wrote: In tragedy and despair, when an endless night seems to have fallen, hope can be found in the realization that the companion of night is not another night, that the companion of night is day, that darkness always gives way to light, and that death rules only half of creation, life the other half.

And ya know what? That's the honest truth of it. We really CAN boast in the hope of the glory of God.

Because -- we KNOW that the battle to end all storms has already been won. The companion of night is NOT another night. It's the dawn when the sun comes up and gives bright pink sun rises with fog that burns off in the glorious warmth if day break.

So THERE! Take that darkness. Take that night gloom and doom. Jesus died on the cross for man. We have been ushered into grace never ending.

Neener neener boo boo to you!