It hasn’t rained in a while. It’s funny, up here in Northeastern Ohio we tend to feel like we don’t get our fair share of sunshine. Well, it’s happening now. My lawn is crispy and it almost hurts to walk on.

I’ve noticed a few things. I’m always surprised at how quickly things get dry. It was just a month or so ago that it was hard to keep up with my lawn. Now I don’t have to even think about mowing. The second thing is while my grass is struggling mightily the weeds seem to be at the top of their game. Dryness agrees with nearly every type of weed I have. There are weeds worming their way up through the rock hard earth. Cracks in my sidewalk now have prickly sprigs peeking out. And the final thing is that I’m always surprised when the rain does finally come how quickly my lawn responds. It’s like the grass is longing for the thunderclouds to form and if my lawn could sing it would sing for all it’s worth at the first clap of thunder. My lawn was made to be soaked regularly and when it is it is so lush and beautiful my little dog runs out and lays on her back and wiggles back and forth just to feel the lushness envelop her.

I think God makes things in patterns. Always. I know I’ve said it before but it bears repeating because the patterns themselves repeat the truth of God in hundreds of ways every day. My soul gets dry sometimes. And when it does it always happens faster than I think it will. The weeds of my soul tend to grow faster in the drought and are prickly and pernicious. But when I do return to the living water I’m always surprised at how much I have missed it and how quickly my soul responds.

I’m not discovering anything new. The psalmist knew what it felt like to be dry and where to go to slake his thirst.

As the deer pants for the water brooks so my soul pants for thee O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Psalm 42:1-2

O God, thou are my God. I shall seek thee earnestly. My soul thirsts for thee, my flesh yearns for thee. In a dry and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1

There are many things that can cause a spiritual drought in your life. There is only one who can end that drought and let it rain. May today be the day the rain starts in your soul and may you be drenched in the wonder of the God who loves you and claims you fully for his own.