| joy in raindrops 10.30.02 |
| It is supposed to be spring here in Brazil...and then summer...days of hot sun and humidity. However, I did not expect a more tropical climate where the sunny days are accompanied by warm evening thunderstorms. I have already experienced a few of them and was caught outside for one in particular where I arrived home with my jeans soaked up to my thighs. It totally fascinated me to see cars in water up to the tops of the tires (although I have been caught in higher floods back in Sacramento). Traffic is already a pain here in SP but throw in the rain, and it is completely hopeless to go anywhere. Last night, fortunately I was safe and dry at home before a huge storm broke out. The thunder roared and echoed through the apartment as the raindrops poured out of the sky. I absolutely love thunderstorms if I am inside. I love the sound of the rain pounding on the roof, the flashes of lightning that illuminate the sky, and the unexpected pounding of thunder. I took my camera out to the balcony and tried to catch the lightning by leaving my camera shutter open for the maximum time (30 seconds). I caught a few flashes but because the sky was filled with clouds, the lightning itself was obscured and could only be viewed as flashes through the clouds. No zigzags in the sky like I have seen in previous storms. Nonetheless, it fascinated me to see the sky lit up. To have the sky be dark one second and then have it appear as if someone were playing with a lightswitch in the next second. Storms can often be seen as something so dark and foreboding, but I think they are beautiful acts of God that declare His majesty and His power. It reminds us of how small we are and how mighty He is! This morning for devotions, I was reminded about how the joy that we get...the lasting, fulfilling kind...comes only from God. We get this through obedience to Him and most of all, by constantly praying to Him. Joy should not only be in the joyous times of our lives when things are going well. Joy is not only for the sunny days when we can play outside and everything is just peachy-keen. If that joy goes down with the sun, that means it's only the temporary joy that we try to provide for ourselves. We should also have joy in the thunderstorms of our lives and if we truly understand why those storms are happening, we really WILL rejoice. God tells us that we should rejoice in trials because it is a time where we are strengthened and molded if we perservere and trust Him to get us through the storm. It is not until then that we have true joy...joy in every situation of our lives. I admit, I have never been through anything SO serious that my faith was shaken up...but I can only hope that I can have joy through those massive thunderstorms like I have seen in many other Christians whose examples I have been encouraged through. I was also reminded that through prayer, we have joy, and through joy, our whole attitude and outlook on life changes. And our attitude is a key factor in being lights to those around us. No one wants to learn more about God if they see Christians as mopey people. People are drawn to those who have this constant glow within them that shines out without effort. It all makes complete sense but is something that is not as simple to apply to our everyday lives. But it all starts with prayer and the close relationship with God. To have that is to have joy. So when the sky gets dark and "the thunder rolls and the lightning strikes" (as Garth Brook--I think--sings), be confident that you can still have joy in the thunderstorms...pull up a chair next to the window and praise God for the show. |
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