In Praise of Soft, Refreshing Rain

 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Isaiah 55: 10-13 NRSVue 

We plough the fields and scatter

the good seed on the land,

but it is fed and watered

by your almighty hand;

you send the snow in winter,

the warmth to swell the grain,

the breezes and the sunshine,

and soft refreshing rain.

All good gifts around us

are sent from heaven above;

we thank you, God, O holy God,

for all your love.

                                          Voices United 520

This morning I'm grateful for the "soft refreshing rain" of a mild summer morning. Ya, there was a brief period of more intense precipitation in the wee hours, along with thunder and lightning, but that just made me grateful to be in our home, not a tent. One of this Sunday's lectionary scripture passages is the one above, from the book of the prophet Isaiah. There were probably several Isaiahs over a couple of hundred years and this portion is roughly 2500 years old. It is one of my favourite passages because it invites us to experience joy in the rhythms of the natural world, or Creation. 

The music of those rhythms has become a cacophony in many parts of the world as intense storms inundate regions which have never experienced them before. Yet we need rain and snow in their seasons and can be of great comfort. Yesterday we paddled on the Moira River in the quiet of the early morning with kingfishers active along the shores. Then we travelled to North Beach Provincial Park in Prince Edward County for a swim in Lake Ontario which was...cold! Both are close at hand for us and both the river and the lake are at healthy water levels, praise the Creator. 

In the midst of the anxiety and fear about our future, we can find joy in the waters of life. 

Oh yes, I looked at the alternate psalm for the day and it includes: 

Those who live at earth's farthest bounds are awed by your signs; you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.

65:9 You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it.

65:10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth.

                                     Psalm 65: 8-10 NRSVue 

You shall go out with joy

and be led forth with peace;

the mountains and the hills

will break forth before you;

there'll be shouts of joy,

and all the trees of the field

will clap, will clap their hands!

And all the trees of the field will clap their hands, 

(clap, clap)

the trees of the field will clap their hands,

(clap, clap)

the trees of the field will clap their hands

(clap, clap)

while you go out with joy.

                        Voices United 884, based on Isaiah 55