“Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall”
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Most folks know I have a passion for old time musicals shown on the big screen of an old movie theatre.  I loved watching Gene Kelly dancing through the puddles with his umbrella.  It seemed so natural, but actually how many folks do you see tap dancing in the rain? Reality doesn’t take hold – once you leave the outlandishness of an old musical.

We experienced a super rain storm last night.  Huge claps of thunder didn’t disturb my sleep.  When my husband told me about it this morning, I thought of the old nursery rhyme – It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man (lady) is snoring.)  When a kid, I wouldn’t think twice about putting on a raincoat and dancing in the rain.  At my age now, I might be taking a nap outside during a storm.   I could easily drown as I slept with my mouth open and snoring.  I can see it all now.  She died from drowning while trying to sing in the rain.

OK, I’m exaggerating a little, but it’s what I do.

Prior to the Great Flood of Noah’s time, there had never been rain. A great canopy covered the expanse and acted like a terrarium, replenishing the earth with its own moisture.  Can you imagine what the people of Noah’s time thought when he started building his ark ?  Can you imagine Noah’s own thoughts when God spoke directly to him and commanded him to do so? None of them had ever heard of rain, much less a deluge which would cover everything in its path.

It took 120 years for that craft to be built – plenty of time to convince a wicked nation to repent of their evil ways and return to God.  Yet in all those years, they simply thought Noah was off his rocker.  Soon the animals began boarding ship, two by two.  Even that didn’t turn these folks to accept God’s warning.

Then the rains came.

Water was released from the sky and from under the earth. Those left behind perished, but Noah, his wife and their three sons, along with their wives, were obedient to the Lord even through the ridicule of others.

The lessons we can reap from this true story of God’s people are numerous.  God is extremely patient with His children.  He allows us time.  He gives us chance after chance to do so.  He loves us even in our disobedience.  He’s slow to anger, but His power is immeasurable.  He controls every force of nature.  He will bring storms into our lives, but He also provides a way out of them.

Sin didn’t end when the flood cleansed the earth.  Like a cancer, it continues to thrive.  Praise God for providing the final payment,  giving us eternity in heaven through His Son, Jesus.

We’ll experience storms throughout life.  Storms that will shake us to the core and make us sit up and take notice. Those storms will either crush us or strengthen us.  It’s up to us to put on our dancing shoes and dance through the puddles with joy.  With God, all things are possible!