Love In The Rain

This is somewhat related to Carebear's post on " What's the weather like over there?".
Unlike her I am not the type to run out in the rain and let it drench me and enjoy it. I am more typically the type to run away and do whatever it takes to stay dry.
When we have gotten caught in the rain my wife has said to me many times "don't run, God is pouring his blessing on you, enjoy it". There are also many songs that use rain as a metaphor for God's blessing over us, so it got me thinking.

The rain does not choose where to fall, it just falls - It is not how good your were that made the rain fall on you and their isn't anything you could possibly do that could make it rain any more. Some choose to stay sheltered from the rain, while others embrace it.

The rain washes clean - Everyone knows that beautiful smell that comes just after the rain, you can't describe it, it is just the smell of clean. All the dust, all the smokey smog, all of the filth and grime from day to day life, washed away into the sewer never to be seen again.

The rain is essential for growth - We are all to familiar here on the prairies with drought. Everything dries up and turns yellow, the ground cracks. But then the rain comes and new life springs up all over the place. Green sprouts pop out barren lands, flowers bloom, things that are dying become replenished and have a new hope for life.

If you take a minute and take the words "rain" out of the above 3 statements and replace them with "God's love", you will see the point I am trying to make.

I didn't do anything for God to love me. He just does, because HE IS LOVE and I am His.

It was God's rain that cleansed us forever. I was in the depths of my despair covered by darkness and lies. I chose to turn to Him. It is then in, in that one moment that a drop of His rain, a glimpse of love shone through the darkness and BAM!!! The power of drought and darkness lost its grip. And His love breaks through.
God sent the eternal rain, Jesus. The ultimate atonement for my sin. The lamb who’s blood covers all my wrong doings until the end of time.

His love spurs me on to grow. I desire to know him better because he sought me out and called me home. My devotion towards Him is my response to His great love. He loved me first.

One other thought, God's rain is essential to create more rain (remember the "evaporation cycle" from elementary school?). I need His love to continually pulse through my veins so that I can walk that love in my life and with every person I meet. So when I see that brother or sister who is so broken inside and cannot stand on their own, I can share the rain and help them stand.

I just found this article when searching for a picture of rain for my blog http://biggergod.com/rain.html it is a different perspective than my own but very well written and a very good read.