Umbrella ...ella ella ella

I'm speeding along on the ellipticial machine at the gym this morning and the Rhianna song "Umbrella" comes up on my IPOD. Most of the time the music I listen to is just for the beat so that I can keep up my, what I've been told is, outrageous pace on the machine. Although I've probably heard this song a thousand times, today I was actually listening to the lyrics of "Umbrella" and found God speaking through them....

[Chorus:]
When there's sunshine, we'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh )

You can run into my arms
It's okay don't be alarmed
Come into me
There's no distance in between our love
So go on and let the rain pour
I'll be all you need and more
Because

"When there's sunshine, we'll shine together" God is with us in the good times. Celebrating good times is always the preferred route and the easy path to take. Do I always remember to thank God when everything seems right in my life? Not so much. It's easy to take Him for granted when the sky is blue, the flowers are blooming and the birds are singing. Each morning I try to start my day by thanking God for giving me breath and a beating heart for another day. I have to consciously remind myself that when things are comfortable, no rain in sight and no umbrella required that God is working in my life.

Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end, now that it's raining more than ever Know that we'll still have each other, you can stand under my umbrella Conversely however, the minute something goes awry it's easy to be quick to feel that we've been abandoned by God or we're blaming him for what has happened. I think this is a particularly easy phenomenom to fall into today, especially considering our economic and world outlook. But in reality God is with us in both instances. But you know how it goes. Just when everything seems right, a storm rolls in and rocks your world. It's in these times we can have our greatest riff with God and our greatest choice in seeking Him.

It's never been God's intent to pressure us into relationship with Him. He created us with the freedom of choice. Told you I'll be here forever Said I'll always be a friend, Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end But God loves us regardless of whether we find Him only in good times, or in good and bad times.

Is the sun shining for you today or is raining more than ever?