Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Send Your Rain, O Lord...Just Not When I'm Painting

The temperature in the Southeast over the last few weeks has been stifling hot. While the actual temperature has been in the 90's, the heat index pushed the virtual mercury well over 100. Leaving the mechanically cooled air of inside facilities, it has felt as if you've strolled into a convection oven.

Many have been the days when I've prayed for a cloud to provide a brief shower, or at least to give some shelter from the sun's direct rays. Yesterday was an exception to this daily desire.

Our house is in desperate need of a coat of paint (probably two coats). This became very apparent several weeks ago when we noticed a rotting window sill on one of the front, dormer windows. Each time I drove in the driveway, the exposed, black wood framed by pealing paint seemed to beg for my attention. With great resolve, I simply looked the other way.

Yesterday, I finally took some action. I purchased a replacement sill from Lowe's (these home improvement stores have everything!), cut it to size, removed the rotted sill, and installed the new one. Just as I was carefully applying the second coat of paint, a dark cloud moved in. I began to pray, "Please, Lord, don't let it rain." Now, I don't know if my prayer was ineffective or if someone else's was effective, but the cloud opened up and dropped it's liquid treasure on the parched earth.

I learned a few things yesterday. First, if you need rain, just start painting the exterior of your house! Second, and more seriously, I tend to view the world through the narrow lenses of my own, immediate needs. What I'm doing at the moment, ought to be as important to everyone else--especially God--as it is to me. Surely God could hold back the rain until I finished painting these newly installed window sills. After all, this task was as urgent a world hunger! Third, I'm grateful that my greatest worry yesterday was a rotting window sill. For, it implied that I had a window, which was attached to a house. On that same day, I saw a homeless man with a shopping cart loaded with his worldly possessions huddled under an overpass, trying to get some relief from the hot sun. I wonder if he welcomed the rain that I had so cursed? Perhaps the rain that streaked my newly painted window sill was intended to bless one of the "least of these" brothers of Jesus?

Send your rain, O Lord, to your people!

1 comment:

Allen "AB" Brantley said...

Your ministry is only as strong as your humility. We both have had our experiences with God keepinig us humble. Perhaps missing a basket in basketball, or hitting a wrong note during a performance. Maybe the sight of that striped window sill can serve as a reminder of that as well. You may be on to something with those striped window sills...kinda classy. You may need a patent for that new fashion trend and get people start painting their houses WHILE it's raining. It sure would be a lot more comfortable! Just do me a favor and y'all don't fall from any high heights; I still have a lot to learn from you and Mom. I love both of you with all my heart. Give my brother and sisters hugs for me.