Like the Gentle Rain that Falleth From Heaven

Deuteronomy 32 1-6

Its been raining here for a few days. When I heard that the sound of the raindrops echoing from the walls of the house and the roof, my heart said a gentle thank, lord. We Southern Californians have been sitting and waiting for the November surprise-- wild fires if there is no rain, or ...rain. The parched hills and the brown dusty valleys will turn green over the next three weeks. That's winter in Southern California. In summer it doesn't rain and everything turns brown. In winter, it rains, and everything turns green. Seems backwards at times. I was thinking as I walked from my car into the sanctuary Sunday, how we take these little miracles for granted. Like the 9 out of 10 lepers who didn't bother to thank Jesus for healing them, the vast majority of Southern Californians are mildly irritated by the rain and fail to even think of all the wild fire warnings we've been receiving this year. But there are probably hundreds of thousands of foresters and firefighters and hillside dwellers who were evacuated because of wildfires last year who heard the rain and saw the thirsty earth drinking it like a traveler at an oasis, who said a silent word of thanks. Thank you God for sending this October rain. We thank you, the trees thank you, the flowers thank you, the firefighters thank you. Life is Good.