Some Rain Does Fall

I had such plans for today.

Because of some challenging financial times affecting work, we were asked to pick a day this month that we could take off. I chose today - I wanted to get the lawn mowed in the morning and jump on my motorcycle in the afternoon, cruise downtown to catch the flavor of the motorcycle rally and take a look at all of the bikes that had come into town. It was going to be a good day.

But I woke up to rain, and while it wasn't a torrent, it was enough to ruin my plans. The grass didn't get cut, and will continue to grow, making it even more difficult to mow. I did get to go downtown to look at the motorcycles, but there were fewer ones in the rain - and I drove the truck instead of riding the bike.

(to be completely honest, later in the day the sun came out enough for me to get on the bike and ride into town to fill the tank with gas and head back home.)

I was reminded of all of our plans for our lives. We so much want things to go a certain way, and we make plans that are based on our dreams. But they seldom work out the way we plan.

Jesus spoke about a man who was making a good income - his crops were doing well, and he had more than his barns could hold. So he decided to tear down his old barns and build even bigger ones where he could store all of his goods. His plans were for his success, and he had the route already decided.

But he forgot to consider God in the equation. That night would be his last, and everything he had saved for would go to someone else. (you can read the parable in Luke 12:13 - 21)

Are there things in your life that are not going as planned? Does it feel like everything you were hoping to achieve is beyond your reach, and that your life has gone a different direction than you ever intended? Do you feel that God has forgotten you?

I believe that God is most interested in outcomes. Don't get me wrong - He still wants to give us the desires of our hearts. But if it comes down to giving us something now at the risk of losing eternal life with Him, He is always going to chose eternity. Eternal life with Him means so much to Him that He is willing for us to suffer some now to ensure we are ready for the future plans that are beyond our greatest dreams. I'm sure that He suffers with us when we suffer, but He keeps His eye on the prize, and keeps encouraging us along the way to that goal.

Romans 8:18 has become one of my favorite verses. It says "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." No comparison. Not even worth talking about. Don't even waste your breath mentioning it.

Friend, please remember this: You are of such value to God that He sent His only Son to die so you can spend eternity with Him. We will have some rain that will fall in our lives. But ultimately the Son of Righteousness will arise in our hearts, and "thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words." (I Thessalonians 4:17-18)

God bless you abundantly!