The Rainy Day

The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the moldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.
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My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the moldering Past,­
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast
And the days are dark and dreary.

Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

My Dad loved poetry, and this was one he often quoted. I was reminded of it yesterday, as the words describe the day we had. Not only was it a cold, gloomy day, it seems that every other minute I heard bad news. Just made me want to crawl into bed and pull the covers over my head.

Reminds me of our study. On our journey to Jerusalem, we have deep rivers to cross, mountains to climb, and valleys to descend. There are attacks from the enemy that sometimes catch us by surprise. Some days are just dark and dreary. Notice that the poet said, “Some days must be dark and dreary”. Not all days. Why should there be dark days? Why can’t life be all sunshine and sweet? Why do we have trouble? Would we appreciate the sun if we didn’t have cloudy days? Would we appreciate the good times, if we didn’t have trouble to compare them to. Would we appreciate the freedom we have in Christ if we had not first known the contempt of slavery to our sin? Would have appreciated the resurrection, if we had not first been to the cross.

Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds the sun is still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

And, if cold dark days will bring us just a little closer to the Creator of those days, if they bring us to a better knowledge of the One who walks beside us and holds us by His strong right hand, then let us welcome them with the assurance of His faithfulness.

May you have a blessed day in the Lord, and may it be filled with SONshine. -jl