“Thank God for the Rain!” by Reva Lachica Moore
Pulling weeds during a brutally hot day can be backbreaking. However, for the groundcover plants to fill the garden area, it needed to be done. So, each day I’m already poised, sitting on my garden seat, pulling weeds at 6:30 in the morning.
The weatherman had predicted isolated showers but the sun peeking through the clouds was trying to prove him wrong. This made me happy. I was determined to finish my weeding that morning, but 3 hours later, the muggy heat had become unbearable.
My husband taped an umbrella onto a pole and hammered the pole into the ground above me. It felt good to have a little shade.
In a couple of hours I should be done, I muttered to myself.
Suddenly, I heard a distant thunderclap and took a quick glance at the sky. Dark clouds had gathered in a far distance although the sun was still shining above me.
“Oh, God, please hold off on the rain. I have to get done today. One more hour will do,” I quickly whispered a prayer.
“I want to rest a minute,” said my husband. He came with a chair and sat a few feet from me. He had just sat down when we heard another rumble. “It’s going to rain. I better finish planting the rose bushes.” He got up and went to the backyard.
Suddenly, a strong wind gust went through the trees creating resonating noises that sounded like rain. But it was not rain. Just strong wind hitting the leaves. The umbrella on the pole danced out of its place and went down; I could feel the sun bearing down my back; not even the slightly cool breeze helped to make the heat bearable. I continued my weeding. However, the wind had increased in intensity.
A few minutes later, the sun had disappeared, and dark clouds rolled in. Soon, tiny raindrops started to fall. Still, I continued to pull weeds. I could tolerate a little rain because I needed to finish my work.
Another half an hour of weeding was all I needed, however, a strange sound alerted me. Another rumble of thunder, this time closer, was followed by howling wind and heavy, pelting rain. In a matter of seconds, I was completely soaked. Picking up my garden seat, I ran to the garage. I waited to see if the rain would stop, but it did not. So, I went inside the house.
The noise of the heavy downpour, wind and thunder was so loud and lasted for half an hour. Then the rain and the wind stopped, and the blue sky and sun reappeared. I went back outside to look at the surroundings. But what I saw made me shiver. Right where I was pulling weeds and where my husband had sat, a 25-foot tree limb lay! The biggest part of the limb was 4 times the size of my arm. The limb broke the picket fence, hit the wheelbarrow and broke its handles and tossed it a few feet away.
I had seen the dead tree limb a week before and had mentioned it to my husband. It was way up on a very tall tree; we thought we would just wait until it would fall off on its own. We both had forgotten about the dead limb when we worked in the yard.
I was in utter shock! Had it not poured down, I would have stayed and continued to pull weeds and my husband would also be sitting in the chair. I shuddered at the thought of what might have happened to us. Thank God for the rain! It is really important to pray for protection every day.
I have heard and read about falling tree limbs injuring or killing people. I know someone who got killed when her car was hit by a falling tree limb.
We know bad things are the works of the enemy and the devil is always scheming on how to hurt us. When we pray for protection, God thwarts the devil’s plan to harm us.
Psalms 91: 9-11….”Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil shall befall you. Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you. To keep you in all your ways.”