Rain!

Last week in my part of California it rained!  For those who live in other parts of the United States (or the world) an inch or two of rainfall would hardly be news; in fact, what would be welcome news for the overly-soaked is if their world would experience, for a while, what California had experienced for the last couple of years—warm, dry, balmy weather.  In the long run it is primarily a matter of perspective and prophecy and cyclic trends; in the short run it can be life and death, feast or famine, prosperity or ruination. 

    

Earlier this week (Tuesday, Nov. 04 2014) the political map of the United States shifted just as the rainfall map has, likewise, hopefully begun to shift in the arid West. 

In both cases, individuals and wise policy makers would take advantage, while it lasts, of the clement circumstances.  Preparations need to be made, where possible, for inclement conditions which will always come again.  Pertaining to rain (and ultimately food production) provision needs to be made and technology developed for water catchment and storage—in the home and in the reservoirs and aquifers.

  

The lesson of Joseph, son of Jacob (Israel) in the Old Testament surely holds a lesson for us:

            “And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.  And he gathered up all the food of the seven years . . . and laid up the food. . . . And (then) the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.  And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph (the prophet) had said; and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread” (Genesis 41:47-48, 53-54). 

In the political arena with new faces and a new balance of power a resolution needs to be made to set aside partisan political agendas and really listen to each other and to the informed public regarding issues that have so deeply divided our country. There are smart people out there—even prophets if we could but believe—with good ideas and with answers. It isn’t just party Republicans or party Democrats who have—or think they have—the answers. 

How desperately we need to again become a united states of America, that ‘government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’ And worse than ‘government’ perishing from the earth—when it is led by seekers of power and pride and vested interests—are common people who needlessly suffer and perish because of lack of prudence and common sense and decency—and yes, faith in God.