I saw a video the other day which was precious. It showed the reaction of a toddler to her first experience with summer rain. In the arms of her daddy, the awe and delight she exuded was overwhelming.
And it got me to thinking a bit about rain.
It rains in every season. There are winter rains and spring rains. So … what’s the difference? Is there a difference? I needed to know …
Winter rains are heavier and often harsh as temperatures cause freezing on the hardened ground. Spring rains, on the other hand, are gentler causing the seed to swell so it will come to grow in maturity. Yet the seasonal cycles are needed, for it is in the winter rains that roots go deep in order to survive.
“Come, let us return to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces;
now he will heal us.
He has injured us;
now he will bandage our wounds.
In just a short time he will restore us,
so that we may live in his presence.Oh, that we might know the Lord!
Let us press on to know him.
He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn
or the coming of rains in early spring.”(Hosea 6:1-3, NLT)
Life can bring hard times which bring strong winds and rains. We may think we cannot make it through, or situations will not not improve.
But those driving rains only drive us to Him. We fall before the One who brings healing and restoration. Roots go down more deeply causing us to sway but stand firm, as He assures us that we are in His Presence.
Those winter rains serve to grow a desire in us to know Him with an earnestness so we pursue Him, relentlessly. We press on, striving to obtain more of Him in the midst of the harsh season. In spite of it even.
And then come the spring rains …
Gentle. Refreshing. Soft.
And those seeds He had been planting in our lives all along, begin to break ground. They grow and blossom and bear fruit.
We begin to see His hand at work in our lives, weaving details with a precision and beauty, which was unseen to us. The winter rains prove to have had a purpose all along.
The seed has become swelled and begins to burst into maturity …
May we find joy in the spring and summer rains and remember
the One who is holding us in His arms.
May we take delight in Him and press on to know Him!
Today I am joining … Inspire Me Monday and #WordsWithWinter and Sharing His Beauty and #SmallWonder and Playdates With God .
Those words in Hosea. I”ve been spending a lot of time in the prophets lately, and I’m just blown away by the grace and patience of God. Then, His grace: like the spring rain, watering the earth.
Blessings on this Monday!
Michele, there is so much for us to learn from the prophets. And it is amazing how His grace waters each of our lives. His grace brings the growth.
I’ve never thought of the difference between the rains, but yes, I can see that now. The video is so precious. I wish I could still get that excited about walking in the rain. š
I loved the video as well š May we delight in all that our God sends our way, maybe even taking delight in it all.
Oh yes… Hosea, and rains, and happy babies screaming in delight! There is so much I just love about this post! We are in dire need of rain right now in our State… and I promise I would scream and clap and dance in it if the heavens would open and send us rain! xoxo
Karrileea, it is amazing how some parts are in need of rain. And I think we are all in need of a good spiritual drenching! And PS – I love reading about what God is doing in the church plant. Praying for His blessings to be upon you all!
I’ve always seen rain as rain–thank you for making me think! I would add that there’s the monsoon rains–meant to wash away the dross and clean things out so we can function properly again ;).
Anita, so glad the post made you think as you blessed me with your added thoughts on monsoon rains š
Beautiful, just beautiful. Even the difference of one element of the seasons as they pass offers encouragement and hope.
Natalie, each season truly does hold a beauty all its own. Blessings!
This was beautiful! Yesterday was a sad day for me and I felt like God wanted me to lean into Him in the midst of my grieving, instead of attempting to cheer myself up and ignore the pain (or maybe the rain?). Thank-you!
Sorry for your sadness. May God bring you comfort as you lean on Him.
We’ve been short on rain this summer and I’m missing the big, loud storms we usually enjoy on the porch. You’re post leaves me longing for a quiet, rainy day.
It’s funny that you would share about your longing for a loud storm. My husband has been wanting the very same thing š