Let it Rain

Smoke covers the mountain ranges shielding them from sight. The winds carry in the smoke from the fires in and we are reminded of our desperate need for rain. We need rain.

The other day I was working the zip line in the late evening when we received a light sprinkle. However the sun was shining hard so the rain dried up quickly. But the sun was shining. There was a rainbow just over the mountains.

"I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind." Genesis 9:13-15

So I was reminded of this moment during our solo time at our retreat this past week, and I decided to read the story of Noah. Now, with the fires raging around Colorado, reading the story of Noah seemed a little ironic, but I read it regardless. 

Now Noah definitely had to put a lot of trust in God, also a lot of hope. Flashback now to Glenn Triezenberg's talk to us on hope. He talked to us about how when we hope, we wait. But this waiting is not passive; it is an active waiting. It is expecting. Well Noah certainly did a lot of waiting: 150 days on the ark until the water even began to recede and then he still had to wait for it all to clear up. He certainly had to trust that God would come through for him.

Noah was also very obedient. He built a huge ark when people must have laughed at him and called him crazy. He sent out the dove three times to search for land. That is the active waiting that Glenn talked about. 

So now in this time as we wait for the fires to subside, we are reminded of God's covenant, and we know God is remembering his covenant as well. And as we wait, we are active. We are actively praying and actively being obedient to God's will. We are hoping.

Let it Rain.

-Maria Smilde

Romans 12:12  Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.