Rainy Days and Mondays

I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. (Psalm 145:1-6 ESV).

 

I am writing this devotional on Monday, March 21^st. Here, as in much of Texas, it is a rainy Monday. Now, don’t misunderstand, in our area we are very grateful for the rain. It has been very dry and we have had some devastating grass fires break out destroying large areas. As of yesterday there were still three fires burning over thousands of acres and yet to be controlled. The rain is welcome! However, I am also reminded of the effect such days have on many. For those who survived the mind-bending seventies ― an era marked by anti-war protests, bell-bottom pants, lava lamps, and Saturday Night Fever ― the soft, compelling voice of Karen Carpenter may come to mind with the title of this issue. The Carpenters were a welcome reprieve for many with a softer, more reflective sound.

 

The words of their 1971 hit, Rainy Days and Mondays, roll through my mind. As Karen sings of how rainy Mondays always get her down, I note her words in the following line hold the solution to her pain. She states, “The only thing to do is run and find the one who loves me.” If those who feel unloved and discarded in today’s culture knew the One who loved them, there would be far less anxiety, depression, and suicide. God’s Word tells us that without hope, people perish (cf. Proverbs 29:18). We see this sad conclusion play out daily in the news.

 

Let me remind you today (hopefully a sunny and bright day) that our heavenly Father is a God of compassion who desires to lift us above our circumstances. He encourages us to come to him when we are “weary and heavy-laden.” Walking daily by his side is where we’ll find rest for our souls. Our reading tells us that He is loving and faithful. He is our Protector, Provider, and Sustainer. He is our Savior, and he is near. Rainy days on any day of the week do not need to get us down. Don’t walk to Him… run to Him. You will be met with open arms and “unsearchable greatness” (v. 2).