Friday, June 29, 2012

"Let it Rain"

Rain

 "And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights". Genesis 7:12 

 It's raining again! No, please not again!

The rain is hyperbole!

In my life the rain seems to be coming down. No not again! Is it gonna last forever? How many time have you been in the middle of a rain storm? I remember many times living in Florida, those afternoon rain storms would come up. Buckets! Literally buckets of rain would come down. The skies would open up and the rain would come down. Not being able to see from one side of the street to the other. But even as the rain came down at most times I had in my mind just wait, give it 15 minutes, the sun will shine again.

Can you imagine Noah. The sixth hundredth year of his life (ok allegory here, I think, cause we all know that no one lives to the ripe old age of six hundred years, do they?). Here's this old geezer, and God tells him that he's had it with the inhabitants of the earth. He tells Noah to built an ark. Now I'm not sure of the measurements, 300 cubits X 50 cubits X 30 cubits. (But remember this could be allegory.) But what ever, it's BIG! The rain comes down! For what? There's no boat launches anywhere around. Get on the boat! Its a deluge. When's it gonna stop? The rain keeps coming down!

40 days and 40 nights. I can only imagine Noah, his wife, three sons and their wives getting on a boat, an Ark. God told Noah to build this Ark. Are you kidding me? Do what? For what? Can you think of what his friends say. The ridicule. It's gonna rain. Its dry as a board out here. We live in a desert. The whole earth is gonna be flooded. Whatever! (But it's allegory!) How can the whole earth be flooded?

The rains come down. When is it ever gonna stop? But the ARK meant something. Our lives are filled with periods of rains. When are they are they gonna stop? Do we have an ARK? Climb aboard. On an ARK? It feels like its gonna rain for days. It rained for 40 days for Noah and his family. At times I can only imagine the boys, their wives, maybe even Noah's wife. "Maybe pops his gone off his rocker. But, HE was right about the rain. But when is it gonna end? These animals stink!

The rain comes down for days. The sun will come out. The rain will end! I ask when's it gonna end?

The ARK represents something to me. A safe haven! In a rainstorm? A what? Are you serious ? It's pouring in my life. Get on the boat! The rain will end! The sun will shine. Sooner or later the water will recede. Keep your boat. I want the rain to stop! I want the sun to come out. Hell in Florida it was quite the usual that during those rain storms you could cross the road to the other side of the street and the sun would be shinning. I want an escape from the storm!

But the rain storms are there for a purpose. I am beginning to realize this and that there is a safe harbor. An ARK! I may have to stay on the boat for awhile. Maybe a long time.

Imagine Noah and his family, on this boat, the ARK, for close to 10 months. What, I thought it rained for only 40 days and forty nights. 40 days maybe i can handle that but 10 months. Are you really serious? Yes but it took for that long for the water to go down. Get on board!!!!!! Stay on board! Don't jump ship! The waters are turbulent off the ARK!

Is it going to end. Yes! But stay there. On the ARK! But I want to get off. The rain has stopped! When does life continue after the rain. Does it?

Noah and his family got off the ARK and the earth had been leveled. Destruction everywhere. (it's allegory remember). Let's see, Noah, his wife, three sons and their wives. Eight people and a whole bunch of animals. Re-populate and entire planet. Is that the sun shinning. My friends, the rest of my family, they're all gone. Not sure about that in my mind. But I have to remember the ARK! It was there for me.

Through every rain storm the rain will come down, there may even be thunder, lightning, but it always seems to end. Noah was provided an ARK! I have been provided a support group, a wife, six kids (wait a minute that's eight people also!) A best friend!

Last night as I was pondering this whole concept of the ARK, Danese and I talked about what it must have been like for Noah. For anyone going through the rain storm. Now it has not really rained here in my home state of Pennsylvania for a bit, it's getting very dry, but don't you know that through the middle of the night the skies opened up and the rain came down with thunder and lightning. The sounds of the rain coming down and the thunder cracking woke me from a sound sleep. The first thing that came to mind was I have to keep getting on that ARK! No matter how many storms come.

At the end of the movie Even Almighty the character Evan and the representation of God, Morgan Freeman are standing under a tree and Even is saying that God knew all along what was going to happen. Morgan Freeman has a stick in his hand and in the dirt he scratches the letters, A R K. And he says, " Acts of Random Kindness". The ARK is a safe harbor through the storm for me. It is a place that has been afforded me to get on board. Experience the Love that my God has shown to me. To you also!!!!! Get on board!

As I am sitting here this morning listening to music, another form of an ARK for me, my cell phone goes off that I have received a text. Our good family friend (who happens to be our family hair stylist/artist) Ashely asked what do I take in my coffee. On her way to work she stops by with a fresh cup of coffee. But to boot I will admit I am not the best of taking care of myself in the arena of eating properly during the work day and Ashley and I talked about this just the other day as I was sitting in Ashley's getting my hair cut. Ashley also brought me a "protein power pack" lunch.

Thank you my God for brining an ARK (act of random kindness) to me this morning!!!!!!!!! And for the storm in the middle of the night! And for ALWAYS providing an ARK for me.