“The day of rain is greater than the resurrection of the dead because the resurrection of the dead benefits only the just. But, the rain benefits both the just and the unjust. He who provides the rain takes care of His children, even when they don’t deserve it.” Talmud (Rabbi Abahu)
In the wake of the tragic events in Israel caused by fires, I was reminded of the eighth month in the Hebrew calendar – the month of Cheshvan.
It is customary in the land of Israel to pray for rain on Cheshvan 7 (equivalent to 8 November in the Gregorian calendar). It is a waiting period where one also looks heavenward for spiritual showers, hopeful that God will bring manifold blessings to
our lives. We trust Him to meet all our needs, even as He provides water for the farmer’s crops.
Israel has no significant rivers flowing through it, and this is divinely orchestrated. It reminds us that our prosperity depends upon His blessings which we should never take for granted. Other surrounding lands such as Egypt which has a history interwoven with Israel, depend primarily on rivers for their water.
If a farmer has a river to rely on for his source of irrigation, he may become confident in himself rather than dependent upon God. However, religious Jews pray constantly for rain, since God alone is their primary source of provision. It was no accident that God sent rain upon Israel at the very end of their ordeal rather at the beginning of the fires. God’s eyes are ever-present upon His covenant people even when theirs turn away from Him. It is a measure of His faithfulness.
Many people say,
“We do not like the smoky darkness, but please do not make the light too bright!”
God replies,
“You may not feel comfortable but it’s OK, I still have you in the palm of my hands.”
Trusting in God is relatively easy until tragedy strikes. When the fires of destruction purge our lives and the rains appear to come just a little too late is the time when it is placed on a level all of its own.
The Bible frequently uses the metaphor of ‘showers of rain’ to describe the outpouring of God’s love for His covenant people with a purpose that goes beyond individual blessing. There is a traditional Chinese story of an old woman who had two water cans that were attached to a yoke. Every day she would place it upon her shoulders and journeyed to the river some distance away to fill the cans and then retrace her steps home. One of the water cans was sturdy but the other one leaked.
When she arrived back, the leaky one was always half empty. It was a curious thing that the old woman never appeared slightly bothered by this.
One day, a neighbour approached her and inquired whether it had ever occurred to her to repair the leaky water can? The woman smiled and pointed to the side of the path along the route she always took to the river. The neighbour suddenly noticed
that all along the way there were beautiful flowers growing on the side of the path where the water can had leaked.
