Smells like rain

Fiona Reynolds January 12, 2018 0 0

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Psalm 72: 1-7

1 Give the king your justice, O God,
    and your righteousness to a king’s son.
2 May he judge your people with righteousness,
    and your poor with justice.
3 May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,
    and the hills, in righteousness.
4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
    give deliverance to the needy,
    and crush the oppressor.

5 May he live while the sun endures,
    and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
    like showers that water the earth.
7 In his days may righteousness flourish
    and peace abound, until the moon is no more.

A few years ago, I stepped off a plane in England having spent 3 months in a dry, sandy location. The first thing I noticed was the overwhelming smell of ‘greenness’. I’ve always liked the smell of rain, even if I grumble about the rain itself! No grumbling that day. 

That smell was the most wonderful, refreshing, reinvigorating thing I had smelt in a long time. 

It was not quite raining but, by the time I had made it to the nearest train station, the heavens had opened. Whilst all the other passengers huddled in the concourse or under the canopy, I stood outside and tipped my face up into the falling rain. It was delicious and precious, and I delighted in feeling water trickling down my face.

We can forget the preciousness of rain

when we live in a cloudy country,

We can dismiss the radiance of the sun

when it dazzles us too frequently,

We can ignore the plight of the poor

when it sits begging on our doorstep,

We can shrug off calls for justice

when things have always been this way.

Call us again, righteous God,

Call out to us 

from rain and sun 

the poor and oppressed,

Call out to us 

so we might notice and be touched,

notice and speak out,

notice and change,

For the ordinary is extraordinary in your sight,

Holy God, Spirit of Truth, Amen.