A SHARP shower made me seek the shelter of a friendly arch. But I was not the first to reach that shelter; two little boys were there before me. I said, “Do you know where all this rain comes from?” One of them replied, “From the clouds, Sir.” I then asked, “But where do the clouds come from?” This was beyond their reach; their philosophy had never led them to think of it. Then I tried to tell them of the wonderful power and wisdom of God in arranging the seasons and the weather; and how He draws up the moisture from the earth and the sea, and then rains it back again upon the earth.
It may be that the two boys will remember what I told them. But certainly in teaching them I was taught. The clouds by watering water themselves: teachers by teaching teach themselves. My mind was led to the question of Elihu (Job 37:1616Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge? (Job 37:16)): “Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of Him which is perfect in knowledge?” By the action of the sun in forming the clouds a beautiful balance is maintained; so that when the clouds are fully formed, they empty themselves back again upon the earth. There is therefore neither more nor less water now in existence than when God first created it. It passes through many changes; yet the operations of God in creation preserve a regular balance.
Well; it is so in His providential dealings. They are full of change; but they are full of beauty. They never rest; but they manifest a perfection of wisdom and love. The same wisdom that balances the clouds also balances the events of my daily life. If I lack one blessing, I possess another. If one sorrow falls to my share, there are some which God has not sent to me. If I have an afflicted daughter, I have seven healthy children.
Another thought may grow out of Elihu’s question, Do not our prayers go up, as drawn by God’s gracious operation, to form clouds of blessing? We are kept in constant need, and thus feel a constant dependence upon God for all we feel to desire: this need is expressed in prayer. We are permitted by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, to make our requests known to God, though He knows them so fully. These petitions, if one may so speak, are rained down upon us again, full of blessings and goodness; and then these blessings rise again to God in gratitude, to make newer clouds of blessing for us.
And even those thick, dark, black clouds of trouble are “big with mercy, and shall break in blessing on our heads.” They are balanced. We expect sorrow; they are filled with joy. We see the darkness; they are lined with light. We fear the storm; it brings a rainbow. And God has told us (Genesis 9) that He never makes a rainbow without looking upon it! When, therefore, God photographs (literally) His covenant on a dark cloud in the form of a rainbow, and I see it there, His eye and my eye are both resting upon the same object at the same moment.
Well; I was glad to learn all this and more under the arch; and I now pass the lesson on to other eyes and hearts.
August 9th, 1905.
WILLIAM WILEMAN.