“He’s as gentle and fruitful as springtime rains that
cleanse the earth.” ~ Psalm 72:6
Oliver was tired of making cookies;
he’d made them every day. After nearly a
week of cold rain, he was ready for some snow.
At least you could go sledding, or make snow angels, or just feel
snowflakes melt on your nose. “Mom,” he
whined, “Why can’t we go outside?”
Interesting question, she thought. Oliver had always been so inquisitive for his
age. She often took him outside only in
good weather, forgetting that 4-year olds are waterproof. Clothes and shoes and kids dry out
eventually.
“Great idea!” Mom replied.
“Go upstairs and put your boots and raincoat on. There’s no good reason why we can’t go to the
park and play in the rain.”
Oliver sprinted for his closet. He especially loved putting on his boots “by
himself.”
They drove to the park. It wasn’t a heavy rain; just enough so that
Mom took the extra precautions necessary when roads are slick and wet.
Upon arrival, Oliver waited impatiently as Mom undid his car
seat belt. He dashed for a mud puddle with
the zeal of a prospector discovering fresh gold. He splashed and giggled . . . and giggled and splashed some
more. There’s something about a hole
filled with muddy water that screams “I’m fun! Jump in me!” to little ones.
“Mom,” Oliver shouted.
“It’s different here in the rain.
I think rain looks like tears from the cloud’s eyes. It’s cool on my face, too."
“You’re right Oliver,” Mom said. “Rainfall brings new life and reminds us that
God cares for us by cleaning the earth.”
Mom gave Oliver plenty of time to explore on his own. To keep their rain adventure fun, she
suggested that they head home after about 30 minutes before her boy got cold
and soaked.
Heading home, the rain fell harder, blurring the windshield
despite the frantic slashing of the wiper blades.
Silence was broken by a tiny voice from the backseat. "Mom, I'm thinking of something!"
That declaration usually meant he’d been pondering some fact
for a while, and was now ready to share all that his youthful mind had
discovered. “What are you thinking?" she asked
eagerly.
"The rain," he began, "is like sin. And the windshield wipers are like God wiping
our sins away."
Chills raced up her arms like an electric current. "That's really smart, Oliver."
Curiosity flared. How
far would this little boy take his discovery? So she asked . . . "Do you notice how the
rain keeps on coming? What does that
tell you?"
Oliver didn't hesitate one nanosecond before responding:
"We keep sinning, and God just keeps on forgiving us." Out of the mouth of babes!
“God made the seas, and God made the bees. He made the sun all big and bright, and
twinkly stars to shine at night. Little
one, oh yes it’s true. God made them all
and God made you.” (“God
Makes Everything” by Sandra McCracken)
