It rained today!

That’s a big deal this year. In Middle Tennessee, we had a summer of record-breaking heat without rain. The record of almost 100 ninety degrees plus days was set in 1954 but was replaced by the summer of 2019. It appears that the beautiful colors of a Tennessee’s fall fell to the demise of the heat and drought as many trees have died or shed most of their dried leaves. Hopefully, the trees will survive to see another spring.

Yesterday the clouds thickened and slowly the rain began to ease back into our lives. The longer into the day, the steadier the rain fell. Last night it rained heavily and steadily from nine p.m. until I fell asleep around three a.m.

Jan and I live on the top of a hill. I watched for the rain to gather and begin its journey to the Cumberland River. It did not happen. Before the raindrops could form a community, the dry earth sucked the water down into its thirsty throat. Crunchy leaves were transformed into sloppy, floppy leaves.

In the late evening, I was on the way to a Bible study when I passed the Bagsby Ranch Event Center. In front of the barn were pristine white folding chairs all arranged facing a large picturesque lake. Unfortunately, the event was moved indoors. It may have been disappointing to the bride but I doubt anyone complained because we are dangerously dry. The fire which destroyed much of the beauty of Gatlinburg a few years back is now +a reminder of the possibility of an impending incinerator of destruction.

We see regularly in Biblical stories the presence of drought threatens if not the existence at least the comfort of God’s chosen people as they struggled with what it meant to be His. Both physically and metaphorically, drought and rain are used to tell the story of God loving his rebellious people.

In 1925, Lettie Burd Cowman’s humble accounting of life was captured in her daily devotional book. The book is Lettie’s collection of insights brought to her by God as she fulfilled the difficult task of caring for her husband as he slowly died. The couple had been missionaries to China and Japan and returned home because of Charles’ illness. Three thousand books were published and sold. Neither the publisher nor Lettie expected the printed copies to sell. Today the first edition of “Streams in the Desert” sells for $150. The devotional book has been in constant publication and has become a classic in Christian devotional reading. Lettie collected living water from her divinely provided streams while she faithfully lived in her desert. The title of her book was taken from Isaiah 35:6, “Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy, for water will gush in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.” (HCSB)

We each pass through periods of drought. Some of us wither away in them. Some of us begin to drink the dry dust at our feet. But some of us seek and find water from the streams which are formed from the rains of grace God continually send. Do not lose the promise Jesus gave, “Come to me all of you who thirst and I will quench that thirst with living water.” (This is a personal summation of many of Jesus’ teachings.)  You may not see it yet but it is raining grace all around you.  Keep your bucket close.

Picture; Fred Baldwin. Storm coming from southeast over Gulf of Mexico in Sandestin, FL.