In 1970, Creedence Clearwater Revival recorded the song, “Who’ll Stop the Rain” and it has been a radio favorite ever since./1 The song is profound and the question it poses is timeless. Every day, the same question is being asked all over the globe.

The first verse says:

Long as I remember the rain been comin’ down Clouds of mystery pourin’ confusion on the ground.

Good men through the ages tryin’ to find the sun.

And I wonder, still I wonder who’ll stop the rain.

Rain in the song is not water but trouble, pain and heartache. The song illustrates the eternal search for the end of crime, disease, pestilence, genocide and war. Throughout human history, we have searched for someone to stop the rain.

Undoubtedly, the song was influenced by the turmoil of their day. The years 1963-1970 witnessed the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Civil Right leader Martin Luther King Jr. and Presidential candidate Robert Kennedy. The extremely unpopular Vietnam War led to riots, protests, increased crime and the Kent State University shootings.

Many years have passed since 1970, yet the rain continues to fall. The world is once again in a heightened sense of fear because of persistent wars, failing economies, terrorism and natural disasters. We search everywhere to find an answer and an avenue of peace

Political candidates promise resolutions. However, the rain continues to fall. Revolutions come, cultural trends evolve, yet the rain continues to gather at our feet.

No one in the flesh has the answers, only more misery.

Israel looked for someone to stop the rain. They sought release from Egyptian bondage. God freed them and they still found problems and gave up, asking to go back to slavery (Exodus 16:3).

Moses went up on the mountain to receive the Law from God and the people gave up again (Exodus 32). God promised them a homeland and they saw only hardship and returned to their defeatism (Numbers 13:26-29). When Jesus came, Israel ignored him because they wanted a political and military leader to give them prosperity and military peace so the skies would always shine.

Instead of pursuing answers among sinful humans, the Lord teaches us that true happiness is found spiritually in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). In the fleshly world, the rain will persist.

In Matthew 7:24-27, we find two houses. One is built on faith and obedience and it withstands the storms. The other is constructed on disobedience and it crumbles.

We learn from this story that rain falls on both houses and will continue to do so. We cannot stop the rain, ever (Matthew 6:34; cf. Matthew 5:45).

The answer lies in dealing with the rain. Through Christ, we cling to the Rock, so we can withstand the storms (Hebrews 13:5). In prayer and the Word, we maintain calm, faith and peace knowing that in Christ we cannot be destroyed (Romans 8:1).

Who’ll stop the rain in the world? No one. But in Christ, it will not matter because the rain cannot hurt us!

___________

1/ http://youtu.be/lIPan-rEQJA

Richard Mansel