Rain

It seems like such a long time since we had a long, steady, soaking rain. It began in the night, and continued most of the day. Everything was slick and shiny.

And there were rich mud puddles under the eaves.

The firewood was fully soaked.

I can't wait to see what this rain does to the grass and shrubs. The trees are already budding. And the forsythia is at its peak - a fluorescent yellow. I prefer forsythia that is allowed to spray out and be wild, instead of pruning it down. We transplanted this bush from the front yard about 2 years ago. I think it's still recovering.

We drove this morning to a church near Charlotte for Adam to preach, and on the way we listened to a Hymnmakers CD -- truly wonderful, excellent, traditional hymns. Four part harmony with organ. If you like well-done traditional church music, you'd love this. They are set to new tunes (or perhaps older tunes that we're not familiar with). And this makes the text more pronounced to me. These words from Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken were rich to me this morning:

See! the streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal love;
Well supply thy sons and daughters,
And all fear of want remove:
Who can faint while such a river
Ever flows their thirst to assuage?
Grace, which like the Lord, the Giver,
Never fails from age to age.

And this verse: 

Savior, if of Zion’s city,
I through grace a member am,
Let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in Thy Name.
Fading is the worldling’s pleasure,
All his boasted pomp and show;
Solid joys and lasting treasure
None but Zion’s children know.

We are going through a time of transition as Adam looks for a new pastoral position, and transitions are always challenging. It is not unfamiliar, because we've done this kind of things many times before, and God has always -- always  -- led us faithfully to new areas of service, new pastures for His flock's care. It doesn't make the waiting or the uncertainty any easier, I'm sorry to say. Perhaps I do manage it with more decorum than I used to :)  But how rich those verses were to me today -- That our God is the great Giver, the King who generously hands out to his children all good things. And His river of life, which flows from His throne in His city of Zion, is such provision that it removes all fear of want, all fear of need. I truly believe this is one of God's goals for His children, to mature them to a place of trust in Him that they no longer fear any poverty, but fully lean on Him for all provision, and do not worry about it. Some Christians are never called on to face this particular trial. Others are called to face it daily, for a life-time. I suppose, like many, we are somewhere in between.

I love the rain. I love the blessings of God, pouring down on our heads. Like a dry garden, I long to soak up the blessings, and grow from them. These times of trial are such refining moments. I think often of the three men in the fiery furnace, surrounded by blistering flames, but unharmed because Jesus was there. In the midst of any trial, I am unscathed, because Jesus is here.

Solid joys and lasting treasure none buy Zion's children know.