As the drought continued for what seemed an eternity, a small community of Midwest farmers were in a quandary as to what to do. The rain was important, not only in order to keep the crops healthy, but to sustain the townspeople’s very way of living. As the problem became more urgent, the local church felt it was time to get involved and planned a prayer meeting in order to ask for rain.
In what seemed a vague remembrance of an old Native American ritual, the people began to show. The pastor soon arrived and watched as his congregation continued to file in. He slowly circulated from group to group as he made his way to the front in order to officially begin the meeting. Everyone he encountered was visiting across the aisles, enjoying the chance to socialize with their close friends. As the pastor finally secured his place in front of his flock, his thoughts were on the importance of quieting the crowd and starting the meeting.
Just as he began asking for quiet, he noticed a little girl sitting in the front row. She was angelically beaming with excitement and laying next to her was her bright red umbrella, poised for use. The beauty and innocence of this sight made the pastor smile to himself as he realized the faith this child possessed that the rest of the people in the room seemed to have forgotten.
For the rest had come just to pray for rain...she had come to see God answer.
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