Answer 5 Rain, Rain Go Away and Come Again Another Day
We, that is Sevilla and I, were living in a beautiful
area of the mountains of North East Tennessee. I love the mountains, they
testify so eloquently of the grandeur, nobility, and strength of our Lord.
However, it was time to leave the home in the country and move into town.
When we first married, the Lord invited us to move into the suburbs but
we were afraid to trust him. After many years of patient instruction, he
convinced us that He would take care of us as well in the country as he
did in the city. We ventured to follow him by faith into the mountains
and we were now being asked to follow him by faith back into the city.
We had made all of the necessary arrangements to move
at 9:30 A.M. of a certain day. I had solicited the help of three men and
a open roofed truck to move our furniture and ourselves thirty-five miles
West into Morristown.
When we awoke, at 7:00 A.M., on the anticipated day,
we awake to torrential rain. To say it was raining cats and dogs was no
understatement. Large puddles were forming in the front yard, the lightening
was flashing, the thunder was rolling among the hills and my spirits sank.
(Pun intended.) Should we be compelled to cancel our plans on account of
the weather, it was highly unlikely we would move for an indefinitely period.
Volunteer assistance wasn’t that easy to find.
As Sevilla and I sat in the living room, morosely gazing
through the windows at the unremitting rain, with our prospects hanging
on the weather, we were faced with a problem, we really had to move today,
therefore, the rain must cease no later then 9:30.
Our need was real. It wasn’t presumption, or a frivolous
desire, whim or something that couldn’t wait until tomorrow. We discussed
the alternatives for some little time, then finally decided the rain simply
had to stop and the only way it was going to stop was through prayer.
I must hasten to mention here, in this narrative, that
we did not approach this dilemma with anything less then faith. The Lord
knew our predicament, he is never caught off guard, but often arranges
our circumstances in such a fashion as to test and strengthen our faith.
Bowing together, Sevilla and I humbly asked the Lord
to cause the rain to cease by 9:30 so we could move. We asked in faith,
believing he could answer our prayers. Upon rising to our feet, there was
absolutely no indication that the Lord even heard our prayers, if anything,
the rains increased in intensity. But we did not need the answer yet, it
was only 8:00 A.M., and we still had some last minute packing to do, all
those things that one needs on the day of the move had to be found and
stored away in such a manner that they could be found the same evening.
Over the next hour and a half, we were constantly attuned
to the windows for the first sign of any change in the weather. As the
final moments approached, I half expected the men to call and cancel but
they did not.
9:00 A.M. came and passed with no let up in the rain.
9:15 arrived and it was still raining. 9:20 arrived with the first noticeable
let up in the storm. By 9:25, the rain had nearly ceased and by 9:30 the
air was filled with moisture but no rain.
The three men with the truck arrived shortly after
9:30 and we moved without the slightest hint of rain or water damage to
our furnishings.
Praise the Lord!
Whenever I have related this witness, some wise crack
offers a variant of the following objection. What if two people are praying,
one wants the Lord to send rain while the other wants him to stop the rain.
Whose prayer does he answer? The answer to this question can be found in
the sections titled, “Him or Her.”
Did the Lord cause the rain to stop just for our convenience?
Perhaps, but perhaps there is another explanation of equal significance.
God, knowing all things, knew when the rain would cease and so arranged
circumstances that I providentially chose the exact moment of its cessation
to plan our move. Either answer is acceptable with me for either outcome
gives glory to God and encourages others to place their trust in him, which,
after all, is a major purpose for answered prayer.