Rain, Rain on My Face

If today's weather were a person, I would imagine "Weather" would have been very moody today! First, we experienced a delicate, softly falling rain. Imagine the storm clouds that come upon a person's face,, and then -- mild tears fall from that person's eyes and roll ever so delicately down that person's cheek. A person who cries soft tears of joy and rapture is a wonderful sight to behold, but one crying tears of sorrow... well... one naturally wishes to take the pain away from that one.

Then, the rain took on a violent kind of turn, flying to and fro, not caring where it landed. When one encounters a storm such as that, they wish to run and find some sort of shelter from that storm. People who allow anger to rage in and out of them like a terrible thunder storm cause those same feelings in people.

Following the torrent of rain, we experienced the great and wonderful mood of "Weather"; in fact, the sky turned a gorgeous shade of blue, and a gentle breeze warmed our hearts with its equally warming breeze. People who are breezy and light warm our hearts. We want to spend all day in their bright, sunny dispositions.

And yet, something must have been troubling "Weather", for the breeze which had so previously felt so delightful to the touch turned menacing and howled through the trees in our back yard. The raging wind pounded fiercely upon our garage door. It frightened my children. How often do we frighten people with our words which emit from our bodies with a hurricane force, lashing at everything and everyone? I'll sadly admit, I have done more than my fair share of being angry one minute, being kind the next, just to blow away what kindness I had previously accomplished with a hurtful set of words.

Is this okay? Well, our Father in heaven got angry enough at the Israelites to wish their destruction upon them, time and again. Why can't we get angry, if the Creator of the entire universe gets angry, Himself?

Simply because it says in His Word that our God is "slow to anger and rich in love." It also says that God won't keep putting up with our shenanigans, but, better still, He won't stay angry at us forever. It has to take something mighty powerful for Him to get angry with us. So... how long does it take for us to get angry? Hopefully, you have a long-burning fuse, because it says this in the Bible about anger and angry people:

"He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city." -- Proverbs 16:32

"Better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman." -- Proverbs 21:19

"Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways, And set a snare for your soul." -- Proverbs 22:24-25

When the person -- or people -- in your life come upon you like the storm that raged the Sea of Galilee and made strong, burly fishermen babble like babies, then just remember what those strong men did -- they called upon Jesus.

I imagine Jesus still laying there, half-awake, half-asleep. Can you see Him with a bent arm cradling His head? I bet He was more disturbed about being awakened than some storm brewing and tossing water on the deck. I'm certain that He then propped Himself up using the same arm which formerly cradled His head, sleepily tossed His other hand towards the sounds that boomed loud like a cannon being shot, and said simply, in a sleepy voice, "Oh, peace -- be still," in the same manner that one does when hitting the old snooze button.

We need to call "Peace, be still," to the raging waters that bellow and frighten us, in the name of Jesus. I'm not saying to declare that out loud; just pray to the One who created ALL things -- including people -- Jesus Christ of Nazareth. And instead of letting anger come in and control us to the point of wishing to inflict as much pain and embarrassment as feel we have just endured, we must be careful to answer with a soft word, being like that gentle wind which warmed all who entered in its flow.

What storm are you facing today? Is it a storm of your own making, or is it barraging you from the outside? Whatever it is, may you call upon the One who can calm the sea in any situation -- Jesus.