I feel sure that we, in the Pacific Northwest, don’t often pray for rain, but this year we have had quite a shortage of rain. My ferns are have trouble standing up  and I’m beginning to think yellow is the regular color of lawns and green lawns look strange.

However, I will tell you a story I read somewhere that made me sit up and take notice, The story was about a man whose name was Homi. He lived in Israel  quite a long time before Jesus was born. The prophets had all died and the people were living without God most of the time. It had not rained for a long time and people were worried, Homi was considered an odd fellow who still believed in God. He came into the town one day and said, “I will pray to our Father God for rain”.

He sat down in the dirt and started drawing circles around himself and said,”I will stay here in this circle until it rains.” and he started to pray.

The people were laughing and making fun of him but after awhile it began to rain. Everyone was dancing around and the kids were screeching and hollering around him. but Homi only prayed for more rain. The rain came hard and full. People were beginning to worry about flash flooding but Homi continued his prayer, “We need a softer rain. One that feels good on our skin and will soak into the ground.”

The rain changed to a steady soft shower and Homi got up from his circle of prayer and went home, but the people always remembered him and God too.

Perhaps we, too, should remember that all things are in his control and maybe we should begin praying, not only for rain but for everything. How about it?