Article October 23, 1971 Issue

"Rain . . . in his season"

JEAN ELSIE SANDERS

"Rain . . . in his season"!^{ Deut. 28:12;} Moses could scarcely have assured the Israelites of God's provision in more welcome words. Following the parched months from May to September, the natural order was the "former rain" in the fall to make possible the beginning of the plowing; the heavy winter rains to soak the soil and fill the wells, pools, and cisterns; and the gentle "latter rain" in the spring to bring summer crops to fruition. Any of these out of season could mean disaster. Therefore the significance of Moses' prophecy was not lost on the Israelites: "The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand."

Human experience seems punctuated with parched seasons of apprehension that we will not have what we need when we need it. Even to those acquainted with the teachings of Christian Science, the hand of divine Love sometimes seems dilatory. We would like to hurry God along, to run ahead of Him and speed up the appearing of good according to our timetable for its appearance. But if we love God, we don't try to push Him. We wait and trust His wise timing.

This kind of trust, however, is not irresponsible lightheartedness like that of the grasshopper in Aesop's fable, which played merrily all summer and then tried to borrow of the industrious ant to keep from starving in the winter. This is not the sort of trust Mrs. Eddy urges when she writes, "Never ask for to-morrow: it is enough that divine Love is an ever-present help; and if you wait, never doubting, you will have all you need every moment."^{ Miscellaneous Writings, p. 307;}

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