Thankful for the Rain

I can't tell you the last time I saw it rain for two days straight. Actually, I can't remember the last time I saw it rain more than a few minutes and certainly not all day long. We sure needed the rain and when this batch has had time to soak in, we still need more rain. I am truly thankful.

Of course, you know that Christians should be thankful people. Paul wrote, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6,7). The rain is just one example of blessings we should be thankful for as we live on this earth. We should be thankful for the food we eat, the homes we live in, the people in our lives, especially our families, our jobs and so much more.

It seems that lately there have been quite a few negative things in this world. We have been shocked by a young man taking the lives of young children that hardley know the alphabet, distinguishing characteristics of money, and probably had crayon lists on the refrigerator of what they wanted for Christmas. We have seen our economy suffer, people unable to find jobs, business close, and even the national credit rating fall. We have been a part of several wars and military actions around the world with the loss of life. We have seen the morals in this world almost fall apart. And all of this stress and heartache leads to our own actions and attitudes being poor by God's standards.

So what are we to do? Should we just accept it and go on? Should we bury our heads in the sand? No! We should change our attitude. We should start to be thankful for life, breath, and all things as we live, move and have our being (Acts 17:25,28). We should be thankful for salvation through Christ Jesus. We should be thankful for the church. We should be thankful for brethren to work with, pray with, cry with, celebrate with, rejoice with and to grow with. We should be thankful for families who love us and support us and who are there for us, no matter how difficult the world may be.

When I observed the rain, I was thankful for the mosture. I was thankful for the cleansing it provides. I was thankful for the vegetation it would help to grow. I was thankful for the freshness in the air (especially as a long term allergy sufferer). But more than that, it made me think, "I need to be more thankful." Thankful, yes, for the physical blessings, but also for the spiritual blessings. It is wonderful to be a Christian. It is wonderful to be alive and have friends and family. It is wonderful to be able to worship God. Life will always have ups and downs, but regardless of the situation, I guarantee, there is something to be thankful for each day.