The version of “I Can See Clearly Now” that I am most familiar with was released in 1972 by Johnny Nash. It was released again in 1993 by Jimmy Cliff. It’s one of those songs that sticks with you because of its simple logic and catchy tune:
I can see clearly now the rain is gone. I can see all obstacles in my way. Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind. It’s going to be a bright, sunshiny day. Oh, yes, I can make it now the pain is gone. All of the bad feelings have disappeared. Here is that rainbow I’ve been praying for. It’s going to be a bright, sunshiny day.
Simply put, things change when things change. Or is it when things change, things change? Either way, we must pay attention to the direction our lives are going. We may not know what the future holds, but we must live in the present or be blindsided. There will be times when situations hinder us, hurt us, hamper us, but we can’t let them halt us. Life’s journeys will always have twists and turns, hills and valleys, stops and starts. And there will be times when situations seem to come down on us like a downpour. That’s life. When the rain stops, we must acknowledge where we are, access the damage, and move forward. We must use wisdom to make sound decisions and our gifts and talents to reach our full potential.
This is a song of hope, action, and a happy ending. I love the idea of praying for a rainbow. A rainbow, in my faith tradition, is a symbol of a covenant with God. God promised to not flood the earth again like in the time of Noah. When the rains of life stop, obstacles can be identified, pain ceases, and bad feelings disappear. That’s what we hope for. That makes for a bright, sunshiny day.
We are at the beginning of a new month, a new year, and a new decade. Having 2020 vision is the ideal. If we are facing challenges in life, every time we write those numbers, we must remember that we will see clear days ahead. It’s a promise. If you have been living without hope and feel like life has drenched you with difficult things, come join us. We can’t change your situations, but we can journey with you until they do change. If you don’t know about Noah and the rainbow, we can tell you about that too. We have a non-traditional worship time, 9:45am Sundays. We are intentional about including the cultures that worship with us. We have a nursery and a sign language interpreter available during worship. You can learn about us on our webpage www.eumcbeltsville.com or Facebook www.facebook.com/groups/EUMCBeltsville/. Until next time.
Release
Anxiety
Insecurity
Negativity