Need an Umbrella?

Hosea 6:3

Let us acknowledge the Lord;
    let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
    he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,
    like the spring rains that water the earth.

“Sometimes life just calls for an umbrella.”-Unknown

January rain poured outside and annihilated the snow from last weekend. For a few days, the ground was covered with beauty and calm, then the rains came and mud stirred. I’m not a fan of mud with a dog to walk, but we manage, as long as she doesn’t lie down and roll.

I’m not troubled by the dark days of winter, but I know many people struggle with the dreariness. We all need sun to balance the rain.

Dreary days may not come from the weather conditions, but from illness, too much debt, missing someone, making mistakes, sinning against God, or any other difficulty. It’s easy to curl into the sorrow and sadness of hopelessness—but with God—hope is as sure as the sun rising.

I’m thankful God holds the umbrella for me. He stops the rain from drowning me and shines His light on my situation. When I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, I knew I’d live the rest of my life in pain. At times, the pain gets me down. I hurt physically and mentally, but spiritually, I hold on to the hope of brighter days. Thankfully, my husband and family understand. With my hope in God and my support system, the struggle lessens, and I can store the umbrella in a basket.

Hosea reminds me that no matter my situation, God comes to me like he did the Israelites. They struggled for years, but God hung with them, reminding them to turn away from their sin and sorrow and follow Him.

Let God pour over you or let Him hold the umbrella against the rains. Whatever you do, seek Him.

The Meadows Shout for Joy

Psalm 65:9-13

You care for the land and water it;
    you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
    to provide the people with grain,
    for so you have ordained it.
You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
    you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
You crown the year with your bounty,
    and your carts overflow with abundance.
The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;
    the hills are clothed with gladness.
The meadows are covered with flocks
    and the valleys are mantled with grain;
    they shout for joy and sing.

The gold finches sing outside my window.

Springtime—I walk outside and study my tiny flower garden. Which beauties will bloom soon? What leaves need to be tied down to allow others to sprout? What annuals do I want to add this year?

No matter what goes on around the world, my flower bed continues to grow. The rain showers fall and the sun shines. Soil enriches the plants, and the blooms burst with beauty.

A few weeks ago, I hung a finch feeder outside the living room window. From my chair, I watch, with delight, as the little gold and brown and red house finches stop by for breakfast and dinner. They flit and flutter, sometimes knocking each other off the bag, as they vie for the thistle seed. Those sweet birds add joy to my day.

In Psalm 65, David writes about God's constant presence. He's always with us. I witness Him in my natural surroundings. Go outside and look up. The clouds appear in the sky as does the sun. Look around. The grass, meadows, wheat, oats, corn all continue to grow. And if you live in the Midwest, you know the rain tumbles down on any given day.

No matter what we endure, God remains the same. He offers hope and joy for this weary world. Find a tree and thank God for the shade. Listen to the call of a bird or watch it take off in flight and witness the wonder of creation. Smell a bloom in the garden and thank God for the beauty. Take a bite of salad and remember who provided the nutrients for growth.

Seeking joy? Look to God's creation.

The birds rejoice with singing.

almond pink roses

The Most Magnificent Light

Psalm 97:11
Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.

John 1:4-5 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The rain shot from the sky as the sun shined through. We've experienced a lot of rain this month in Ohio. Yesterday as the drops poured, the sun stood its ground (or would that be sky?) and shined anyway. So bright that sunglasses and visors were required. Isn't that life as a believer? No matter how much difficulty dumps on me, God's light warms me and brightens my path.

Psalm 97 reminds me of God's joy-filled light. And John, he tells the true story of the most magnificent light. Jesus, the light that carries me out of the storms, the light that lifts me up, the light that saves my life. Torrential rain, dark clouds, crashing waves, no matter what I face in life, the light of Jesus shines brighter, warms my heart, and pulls me out of the darkness. I pray that you know Jesus and have allowed him into your life. He's the true light.