… He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45 (New King James Version)

Listen to Hot in the Desert – She Said

I’m drowning, I thought. Drops of water raced down my forehead, dripped off my nose then landed just below my chin to begin its race down my chest and into my belly button (I know, a picture you’d prefer not to see).

My mom called and asked me to photograph her quilts. She asks so little, so seldom that when she does, I try to act fast. Mom’s a master quilter and as we hoisted each work of art onto an 8 foot display, I couldn’t help but notice how the sun brought the colors alive and quenched a thirsty imagination. Yet, here I stood, the sun pelting down while streams of salty liquid filled the corners of my mouth—I was thirsty. Even in the beauty of the ocean scene Mom had quilted… today I stood in a desert of decision; parched and completely dry.

I’ve faced some trials lately. Things that have tested my faith, forced me to weigh the depths of my belief, shaken me to the core. When I look at those who’ve taken my heart and twisted it, I’ve asked God, why. Why do you treat the just and the unjust equally? Shouldn’t the bad guys lose somewhere?

Jesus probably wondered that same thing when He cried out from the cross. Still in that act of sacrifice God shouted His love throughout the universe. I love all my children—every single, solitary one…the just and the unjust.

God shines on the evil and rains on the unjust with the same hope and love that He sees in His good and just children. It’s hard for us to grasp—this deep love of God. But His nature is to hope that we all come to Him. He doesn’t want to lose a single one of us.

I made my decision in the desert while I gazed into the deep purples mom had stitched. I wondered if there would be relief from the blazing heat. Lord, I’m really thirsty…thirsty in every way. Rain down on me. Will you refresh me? Renew my soul?

When you find yourself walking in the desert, parched and dry, pray that He will rain on you—renew you. He faithfully offers His undying love.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio’s Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Scott McCausey.

And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust – A Journey to Financial Dependence. Read Cindy’s devotions.