Last weekend we ventured south to the picturesque town of Yallingup.
Walking a small section of the Cape to Cape Track in late May, in brilliant autumn
sunshine at about 24 degrees is sublime. Strolling along the beach, wading
through lapping waves, enjoying the clear air. Life doesn’t get much
better.

It’s hard to imagine such contrasting weather in such a short period of
time. But WA weather is not unique. Weather is changeable. With the advent of
meteorology weather may be more predictable, but it is never tame. We might
simplistically describe weather as good or bad, pleasant or challenging, convenient
or inconvenient, but it’s not that simple. It has purpose. Both sunshine and
rain sustain life. It sometimes looks random and out of control, but this world
is an extraordinary, well-balanced, life-maintaining environment.
Weather is a vivid metaphor for life. Life too is changeable. It comes
with good and bad. Clear skies and clouds. Depressions. Wind gusts that
destroy. Drought that leaves us parched. Destructive bushfires where only the toughest
survive. High tides that rip the sand from beneath our feet. And then sunshine
again, appreciated all the more after the storm abates.
As someone wisely quipped:
Weather is a great metaphor for life — sometimes it’s good, sometimes
it’s bad, and there’s nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella or
choose to dance in the rain!
Sometimes we just need to lockdown and wait the storm out. We can then slowly
emerge, deal with the damage, rebuild the paths and hope for sunshine ahead…while
accepting that there may still be a storm or two further down the track.
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us…
Psalm 67:1