The rain has stopped! (Thought for the month- May 2013)

If you are anything like me you have been wondering if blue skies and warmer weather were actually coming this year! Let’s be honest, we can’t really think back to the summer months of 2012 and remember a prolonged dry and sunny period to console ourselves, can we? Instead, last year we had record summertime rainfall, much to the relief of our local water company after a dry winter.

This year, of course we have had winter rain and more rain and more rain. I’ve noticed it walking Jasper, our dog, as I tend to have certain routes I take in the winter, which remain usable without getting too wet or very muddy. Not this year however because the rain didn’t stop and even well drained paths became very soft mud or permanent puddles.

However in the last two weeks the rain has stopped. I know it will return, (hopefully not in the previous quantity or frequency), but the ground is drying out, shoots are emerging and buds are appearing on the trees. That got me thinking about the reaction that took place when Noah and his family finally realised that “the rain had stopped”. Some short time later they got a second confirmation when the waters began to recede!

We know that Noah was unshaken in his faith and belief. The account of his years of boat-building tells us that and Hebrews reinforces the message focused on his faith.

Sometimes life presents us with a constant stream of difficulties and it can feel like it’s constantly raining. Let’s be like Noah therefore and when we look up, let’s look past the rain clouds into heaven and remember who put the colours in the rainbow.

May 2013