Whatever the weather

by Thomas Prachar
If you want to “break the ice” and begin talking to a complete stranger, one of the socially acceptable ways, at least currently, is to talk about the weather: “Cold enough for ya?” Everyone seems to have an opinion about the weather: “That was quite a storm we had last week!” We certainly like to complain about the weather: “It’s too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, too windy, too humid, too…whatever!” And, of course, the weather always makes life more miserable for me because it has this way of changing my plans: “They closed the highway because of the snowstorm. Now I can’t get to my appointment!” “With the ice on the sidewalks, my daily walk is on hold because I don’t want to fall and break any bones!” “We planned that family gathering, picnic, wedding, or church service to be held outside, but it continues to rain all day, so we have to implement Plan B.”

No matter how the weather afflicts or comforts us, life goes on whether the skies are cloudy or sunny.

As we know all too well, the weather can mess with our emotions. People diagnosed with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) find late fall and early winter challenging as the days are short (meaning less sunlight), and often more cloudy. They feel more sad, lethargic and depressed than normal.

The Bible doesn’t give us much in the way of weather reports at major historical events in the life of God’s people. It really isn’t an issue whether or not it was a sunny day when Moses parted the Red Sea! Was there a threat of rain when King Solomon dedicated the temple? It’s not important. Did Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus have to deal at times with dust storms whipped up by ferocious winds when they fled to Egypt? We don’t need to ponder that point.

No matter how the weather may affect us, we have our Lord’s assurance that He will be with us through the dark hours, and the cloudy, rainy or cold days. While He may not provide the weather we want at a certain moment, He is still there to comfort us through dark and challenging days with the promises of His holy Word. As He suffered on the cross for our sins, the darkness during that period mirrored our sin for which our Lord was suffering. Through the darkness of that sin, He penetrates with the glorious light of His saving love.

We don’t have a weather report for Easter morning. We assume it was the beginning of a sunny day when the women and disciples found the empty tomb, only because that matches the joy we feel at our Lord’s resurrection from the dead. What we do know is what the apostle Paul writes, “…for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).

Rev. Thomas Prachar is president of Lutheran Church–Canada’s Central District

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