Ever Faithful

The day dawned bright and sunny. In spite of Accuweather's prediction for potentially severe thunderstorms, not even a cloud dotted the morning sky. Each of the previous weekdays held the possibility of rain, but by Friday, not even a single drop had moistened the ground in our neck of the woods. As we completed final preparations for the party, we were hopeful that the rain would hold off for one more day!

Our daughter, Riley's graduation get-together was planned for Friday evening from six to nine in the evening. The hourly forecast was calling for a thunderstorm to roll in right in the middle of our celebration. If the gathering would have been an indoor event, there wouldn't have been a reason to give it a second thought. But, you guessed it! We had set up tables, chairs, and decorations outside to accommodate the sixty-something guests who had RSVP'd.

With tables festively decorated, candles and tiki torches lit, and six dozen balloons floating lazily in the afternoon breeze, we began noticing dark clouds that seemed to materialize from nowhere...their billowing forms creeping across the sky hinting at the weather to come. As I made the final trip out to pick up the sheet cake and ice, I silently prayed that the Lord would hold back the predicted rain. I glanced toward Sawnee Mountain, one of the few places untouched, as yet, by the sinister clouds. I was reminded of the words penned by King David, "I will lift up my eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help; My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth" (Psalms 121:1-2; KJV). No matter what happened with the weather, I knew God was in control.

Back at home, last minute food preparations were coming together, when my husband, Steve, poked his head in the back door to let me know that the first drops of rain had begun to fall. I began tossing a plan 'B' together, as we continued to pray that the Creator of the universe would hold back the rain. I remembered another time the Lord had been called on during a storm - unlike our storm, the one mentioned in the Bible was life-threatening.

Christ had asked the disciples to row across the Sea of Galilee, to reach another city. The story picks up, "But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy" (Luke 8:23). These weren't cowardly men. Remember that the disciples were seasoned fishermen who had endured several storms on this very lake. Yet this storm left them terrified! How could Jesus sleep through this? They wasted no time waking him and relaying their concern, "Master, master, we perish" (Luke 8:24a). In full control, the Lord "arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith: And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him" (Luke 8:24b-25).

To know the One who is in charge of it all! If the winds and water were obedient to Him, I was confident that He could stop the raindrops even now as they made their way from sky to earth. We continued to pray. As we made several trips in and out of the house, transporting food to buffet tables, we were keenly aware that the drips of rain had stopped. Thunder rumbled in the distance as the first guests arrived, but we decided to continue with our original plan of an outdoor celebration.

Throughout the evening, guests commented on the torrential downpours they had driven through as they made their way to our house. The thunderstorms were all around us, yet aside from those few drops of rain as we set up the buffet tables, no more rain dampened our party. The Lord answered our prayer and held back the rain! Our God is so gracious!

It's amazing to see God at work. What a testimony of His love for you and me. He is worthy of all of our praise. "O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever, To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever" (Psalms 136:1-4). Even in the small things, He is ever faithful! Praise His wonderful name, today!