Tuesday, October 20: Psalm 63- The glory of rain.

Two days ago we had an entire day of rain. It started out steady but not fierce overnight and then continued throughout the day. Sometimes pouring down, sometimes gently falling, all day cloudy, overcast and wet. It was glorious. Glorious because the last 6 weeks had been parched. The garden was dry, flowers and shrubs shriveling up and the grass was like straw, so brown that it crunched under my feet as I walked across it. The land was dry, dry, dry. Some large trees were prematurely bald for the winter.

Today after the 2-3 inches of soaking rain followed by a day of sunshine, gardens are coming to life again. Shrubs have unfurled their leaves, plants stand taller, stretching themselves toward the sun. Even the grass I thought might be dead for the Fall is greening up… all of this the result of a wonderful drink from God’s heavens.

David’s soul is parched; he longs for a spiritual drink from heave. You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water (1).

I’ve been there. Life has drained you dry. Emotionally you are spent. Relationally you are spent. Spiritually you are spent… Where are You, Lord? Why don’t I feel Your presence? Why is Your voice absent?

Like David, all I can do at those times is cling to God. Remembering times of joy and presence, I grab hold with every ounce of grip I can muster. I don’t know when but the rain of God’s love and presence will come. I will hold on…

I have survived these times before and I have learned that as I cling to you; Your right hand upholds me (8). Somehow because of the Lord I will survive… just keep holding on.

My understanding is that during times of dryness, a few weeks of drought, shrubs and perennials drive their roots deeper in search of any moisture the land might hold. Those seasons of dry actually help the plants grow strong root systems. Premature watering by the gardener can limit the growth of the roots.

I don’t like times of spiritual and emotional depletion, but having survived them I do grow stronger when I cling to God and HOLD ON… His right hand will uphold me.

So I read His Word, ponder His deeds, speak and pray to Him daily and gather with other saints regularly, sending my roots deeply into God’s soil, trusting that He will hold me. I will survive and I long for lavish time of presence with my God.

Lord, thank You for this blessed Psalm, it spars some much in me. I praise You that You always uphold me. I earnestly seek You all the days of my life. Amen.