“When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up- for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground-“ Genesis 2:5-6
Rain is delivered with a certain piquancy that encourages me to stick my hand out the car window to experience life giving water pock against my skin, creating a feeling that lies somewhere between a curious tingle and a slight sting, conflated further by a confusing array of warm air temperatures and cold water temperatures, slowly draining the heat away from my hand into the passing wind. My mind becomes elated with a heavenly joy as it establishes a very real connection to Earth’s natural vigor, beauty, and rawness. I’ve been experiencing some sort of natural high while here in Malaysia simply because rainy season has begun. Thundershowers and light sprinkles litter the day, juxtaposed with clear skies and a shining sun during the hours in between. At night, the bedroom windows remain open, allowing cooler air to rush in at the will of Mother Nature, filling the room with swirls of fresh air that dance with the ceiling fan until my mind can no longer keep my body awake. This is one of the most common ways God speaks to me. He knows the joy that His creation brings me, and He knows that every time His natural world brings me joy, my relationship with Him grows deeper. What I’m trying to do now is establish the parallel between what I experience and see in this world and how it can be related to His unseen Kingdom.
Make no mistake; Rainy Season, while a very natural and routine phenomenon, is very well planned and intended. God’s work, even if He seems to be absent from the current engagement, is inerrant as a result of His Sovereignty. Sometimes He shows us messages through creation in a very cogent way, while other times it’s so delicate, and so seemingly personal, it takes an epiphany, brought about by a very carefully and intentionally orchestrated chain of events in one’s life. Sometimes the very thing that can deliver a powerful message designed to deepen your relationship with God is rolling right between your fingers with such regularity that you fail to make that divine correlation. Many people here in Sungai Petani actually view the rain as being rather insalubrious, a conductor for creating illness. What it made me realize is that Rainy Season is very much a metaphor. Some may view it as a hindrance, something to be cautious of, while others, and God, may view it as a life giving process of learning and refinement.
Rain may bring floods and mudslides and illness sometimes, but keep in mind that it also brings life. Without it, everything dies. With it, life, and an appreciation for life, is gained. Rest assured that God is bringing life and restoration all around you, no matter how stormy it gets.
