April Showers Bring May Flowers

Remember the short poem that you learned as a child? … “April showers bring May flowers.” I remember when I was a young girl, mother would allow my sister and me to wear our Easter outfits to school. I always felt so proud to wear my little dress covered in lace with pretty, little flowers. My dress spread out all around because I wore a hoop crinoline. Now, only the older generation would know what that is. The rest of you will need to research it on the internet. I wore my white patent leather shoes with lacy socks and white wrist length gloves. Oh, and I must not forget my Easter hat. I was allowed to wear it all to school except for the gloves and hat.

One particular year, I went into my classroom with my new Easter outfit on. My teacher said to me, “Charlotte, today is your day to be on safety patrol.” How could this be? I looked down at my new Easter frock and then looked out at the pouring down rain. I put on the yellow raincoat and yellow galoshes. I walked up to the next corner where the safety patrol officer stood. I could feel the rain seeping into my rain coat and down into my little white shoes. The officer looked in my eyes and saw the difference in rain drops and the tears that flowed down my face. I looked up into her eyes and said, “The rain will ruin my new Easter clothes.” She smiled so gently and walked me to her patrol car. She opened the door and told me to sit there for a while and she would drive me to school. What had been so much joy had now seemingly been ruined by the pouring rain. …But a compassionate officer saved my outfit and my broken heart.

Oftentimes in life, just when things seem to be going okay, rains of sorrow move in upon us. At that moment, anything good now seems lost in the flood of heartache and pain. We may not see a safety patrol officer with the place of refuge, called a patrol car; but there is One standing right there with us Who is our Refuge in times of trouble (Ps. 9:9). His name is Jesus. We must lay hold of the truth that these rains of trouble will not last forever. There is One Who will use the rains to bring forth His good.

I am sure that all of Jesus’ followers felt lost and undone; all seemed hopeless when they saw Jesus hanging on a cross, the One Whom they believed would set up His kingdom and deliver them from the Roman regime. Surely, the waters had overwhelmed them, the torrent had gone over their souls (Ps. 124:4). Was all lost? Was their fate defeat?

Jesus had prophesied, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruits” (Jn. 12:24). Jesus descended into the lowest parts of the earth. He had suffered the penalty of sin for all people and defeated the devil. Something glorious happened. The Holy Spirit quickened this Seed and He arose, “the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29). Jesus was the first fruit, but there has been much fruit abounding because of this Seed laying down His life…Three thousand born again, five thousand more, and multitudes have abounded in salvation because of the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus (Acts 2:41; 4:4).

Remember, the floods of trouble may abound; but keep this in the forefront of your thinking; fruit will abound in Jesus’ name. The torrents of showers will bring fragrance and beauty, in due time.