. . . and they were washed away

I worked as hard as I do every night. It's something I take pride in. I knew there was more to accomplish so I didn't even give a second thought to leaving when I had "put my time in". I was there to finish the job. So that is what I did. When it was over I was sore, filthy, and exhausted. But there was a certain sense of satisfaction as I passed through the motion censored doors. They opened as if I had commanded them to, like in some mysterious way they could tell by my sweat soaked shirt, my calloused hands, and my bloodshot eyes that I deserved a royal exit. I had earned at least that much.

And as I trudged to my truck, leaving all the cares of work and life behind, it hit me.
It was subtle at first. But then it hit me again. And as I looked up into the looming sky I felt a soft drizzle begin to fall on me.

It was in that moment that I became lost.

I spent the next hour in the bed of my truck. Sometimes laying, other times sitting on the tail gate. And as the rain picked up, I could feel it washing away the remnants of the job I have come to despise.

It rained so hard that I could wipe the dirt off my arms . . . and it didn't slow down. It just rained harder.

It rained so hard I couldn't distinguish between the rain and my sweat. I was soaked. And it just rained harder.

It rained so hard I couldn't smell the "pleasant" aroma of a hard nights work, all I could smell was summer rain.

Although it changed my condition . . . I just sat there in the rain.

The wind picked up. At first it wasn't too bad, small gusts here and there, enough to give you goose bumps (or goose pimples as my mother calls them). But then it started to blow, and it was cold. It was the kind of cold that chills you to the bone. It was blowing hard enough to shake the rain droplets that had accumulated in my beard, onto to the ground. But I could still taste the rain on my lips.

And I just sat there . . . taking it all in; enjoying every moment.

I saw people rushing into work as their shift started. It's funny how people avoid the rain. I saw umbrellas, ponchos, and newspapers used as protection. People parked closer and walked faster as if their actions helped them dodge the incoming water missiles.

Most of them looked at me, sitting in the bed of my truck, drenched apparently for no reason and they gave me that "Hey guy, you must be crazy" look.

But I just sat there . . . taking it all in. I didn't care what they thought; no one was going to ruin this for me.

It was like all of my cares and concerns . . . they were all washed away

As I finally got into my truck and peeled off my wet exterior, the only thought going through my head was that I couldn't have asked for a better start to my day.

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I don't know about you. But sometimes life can seem pretty bleak. I mean I try to put on my "happy face" but if we were real and authentic we would put on our "this sucks" face.
Sometimes life can just seem to be so "not what it's supposed to be", that you wonder if God even cares - or if he exists -

Don't feel weird or bad for that . . . we have all felt that way at one time and it's likely that we will feel it again sometime.

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There is this famous passage / quote / saying or whatever found in the book of Jeremiah.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

You can find this passage all over the place . . . on journals, lawn decorations, pictures, at weddings and in gift shops on an assortment of various "unneedable" items.

Don't get me wrong it's nice . . . it's easy to remember and it makes me feel good about me and God. But I think we take this out of context and it loses so much of its significance behind it . . . so let me set the table.

BACKGROUND :
-God's people have rebelled against him and have served, worshipped, and sacrificed to other gods
-God sent Jeremiah to lead his people into repentance
-They didn't listen or follow Jeremiah's instruction
-So as a consequence of their disobedience God allowed the pagan nation of Babylon to invade and take all of Israel's key people (kings, queens, doctors, teachers, religious leaders)
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So here is where God's people are . . . under the rule of a foreign nation and one which God has allowed to invade their country and take them away.

If I am a good Jew, life looks pretty rotten, and I am saying to myself "things were never supposed to be this way!" "Doesn't God care?" "Where is he in all of this?"

Then in comes our famous passage to the story . . . but this passage is part of a larger letter sent to God's exiled people in Babylon (you can find it in Jeremiah 29) But the General message . . . the overall idea that is communicated to the people is to embrace the new life that have IN EXHILE. God tells them this is a 70 year exile (most of your life), so enjoy it. Don't worry about the promise of restoration . . . I will still keep my word but in the mean time . . . make the most of today.

So that's part of the picture . . . but here is the second part . . . the passage doesn't end with "a future". It goes on . . . "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity."

It is in this second part that God gives these people and us (I think) the key to living for today, even when life is at its worst.

First God basically says "so what if life stinks . . . this is your life . . . it's going to be your life . . . so you might as well make the most of it. Oh yeah and here is how you do it . . . you seek me . . . you make your life about pursuing me . . . and if you do this I promise you . . . you will find me and I will deliver you.

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So I was thinking about why sitting in the rain this morning was so special . . . so perfect and I think it was because I wasn't worried about anything negative that has happened to me recently. I was just enjoying the moment. I was forgetting the past and just appreciating God right there in the moment.

Rob Bell puts it this way -
"When we are holding on to how things were, our arms aren't free to fully embrace today."

I don't know if you are feeling like I have felt in the past but take comfort today knowing that no matter how awful life can be, that God doesn't want to waste today with you. Make your day about pursuing Him and He promises you'll find Him and He will deliver you.

And maybe he will take all your worries and wash them all away