Rain

It is raining in Los Angeles tonight. Our windows our open as we absorb the sound of falling water as if into our very souls. We are lovers of rain, and nights like this are certainly the exception here. I feel grateful and peaceful; grateful for the way the rain dampens certain activities outside that cause me fear; peaceful because it feels like something threatening or oppressive is being cleansed or washed away.

Before tucking Mercy into her bed tonight, Doug read to her the story of God and Noah. And as I sit here listening to water fall, I can’t seem to shake the imagery of God sending water to purify and cleanse; to wipe the slate clean, so to speak. Perhaps God is speaking to me tonight through this rain. Perhaps God is reminding me of His power to wash all of His creation with living water that redeems. And maybe God is also reminding me that as much as the story is about floods and destruction, it is most importantly about the way a family was uniquely protected and preserved.

Before dinner, Doug suggested that we all go for a little walk. It had begun to rain earlier in the day but there seemed to be an intermission, so we all got shoes and socks on and headed outside. As we turned the corner by the school where our church gathers to worship on Sundays, Mercy stopped in her tracks and began pointing excitedly to the ground. “A rainbow, Mommy. Look!” The street was shiny with the day’s rain, but for all of my squinting and searching I could not see what she was talking about. Mercy is fascinated by the appearance of the rainbow in the Noah story and she understands what a promise is. Mercy is not immune to the fears and tensions of life here. I wonder if God was speaking tenderly to her tonight too.