Rain

Oppressive heat remained into our evening hours, Tuesday, in an uncharacteristic fashion. We came very close to 90 degrees inside our house. We ran a generator for a few hours in the evening which allowed for some oscillating fans and ice cold smoothies. But it hurt to turn off that generator in the night and settle into beds with no breeze circulating around us. After a long drive from Kampala, sleep overtook us despite the heat but we would be awakened again in the early morning dark.

Thunder and wind.

A gigantic, lovely spattering.

For over an hour.

Awakened weary.

Stilled and aware.

A very sweetest relief.

Rain.

“He covers the sky with clouds;

he supplies the earth with rain


    and makes grass grow on the hills.”

Psalm 147:8(NIV)

“He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.”

Psalm 135:7(NIV)

I lay listening to the answer to my every prayer.

This moment felt like a most definitive reply.

 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

 Passing through the Valley of Weeping (Baca), they make it a place of springs; the early rain also fills [the pools] with blessings.

 They go from strength to strength [increasing in victorious power]; each of them appears before God in Zion.

Psalm 84:5-7(AMP)

It’s strength to strength when we edge towards God.

Even through the Valley of Baca.

A deserted space of weeping and grief. (strength)

Even that dry place of suffering becomes a water-filled oasis.

With blessings pooling abundant.

As a result of the early rain.

All the ways of our hearts:

Weeping

Celebrating

Loving

Wandering

Losing

Gaining

Breaking

All the ways.

Are roads--High Ways--headed straight to Zion.

The presence of God. (strength)

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence;

they will be singing Your praises all the day long.

Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

Psalm 84:4 (AMP)

Rain or shine.

Oppressive heat or soothing breezes.

Restful answers or a steady barrage of wondering questions.

 O Lord of hosts, blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts in You [leaning and believing on You, committing all and confidently looking to You, and that without fear or misgiving]!

Psalm 84:12(AMP)

“…the Lord delights in those who fear him,


    who put their hope in his unfailing love.”

Psalm 147:11(NIV)

Hope even when the heat rises.

A faithful God bringing all matter of ‘rain’ to console and remind.

He’s got this.

You. Us.

All our heart-ways.

He is Good.

 “The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest.”

Psalm 85:12

“When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.”

Psalm 104:28

“He does not withhold the good
 from those who live with integrity.”

Psalm 84:11b (HCSB)

Selah.