Yesterday was such a gray and drizzly day. And the weather app said today would be mostly cloudy. But when the sun came up this morning, the light of day revealed the most beautiful blue sky. And I don't mind telling you, it brought joy to my heart! Of course, I realize there will be other gray days. Rain is a necessary part of life. But right now I'm enjoying the blessing of a new day and blue skies.
It struck me this morning that this is probably a good metaphor for life. I think we all have our share of gray days. They may come in the form of a difficult moment or they may be a longer season of life that seems dark. But I think we all have them. I was spending time with a friend recently who has been through a very "gray skies" season. Yesterday I stood at a graveside with a family as they celebrated the life of a brother they loved dearly. Even for me, the past couple of years have certainly been among the more difficult of my life. And I believe for most of us, this extended season of Covid has felt like one long gray day.
But centuries ago King David (who had been through his share of gray days) reminded us in Psalm 30 that “weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Or, carrying on our metaphor, there will be gray days, but they will give way to sunny days with beautiful blue skies. And so I think my encouragement to us would be to embrace the rainy days, recognizing that they are necessary part of life. In the same way that rain brings growth on the earth, God can use our difficult or challenging seasons to help us to grow, grow stronger as individuals and grow deeper in him.
Then, when the sunny days come, receive them as a gift, giving thanks to God for the blessings of a new day, a new beginning. And on those beautiful days, soak in the sun and celebrate the beauty of the clear blue skies. If for you today is a gray day, I just want to remind you that even though you can't see the sun, it is still there. God is still with you. He will walk with you through the rain. And He still has in store for you many “blue sky days” that are yet to come. On the other hand, if you are having one of those great sunny days, enjoy every minute of it! And give thanks to God.
Love you all.
Pastor Steve