It's 40 degrees and sunny as I write this morning in Dallas. It's 31 and cloudy in New York City, with a low of 16 expected for tonight. But at least it's not raining. That's when problems really start, according to this morning's Wall Street Journal. The city's subways are ferrying 33 percent more people than a year ago. And when it rains, tracks flood and signals don't work. A 20-minute commute takes an hour. Blood pressure rises. Taxis fill up. Horns honk. Bad things happen.

It's not yet a rainy day for Chinese-American relations, but things aren't sunny, either. The Journal tells us that China plans to boost military spending by nearly 18 percent this year. After successfully testing an anti-satellite missile in January, China's escalation is causing the U.S. and Asian countries heartburn. At least the 2.3-million members of China's armed forces don't have to ride subways in the rain. Tempers would really flair.

Meanwhile, the stock market begins an uncertain week. As you know, the Dow Jones dropped 4.2 percent last week. According to the Journal, some economists see the pullback as nothing more than a much-overdue short-term adjustment. Others view this as a flight from risky investments, making the market shift more serious. And some predict a weaker economy to come, the most troubling prognosis of all. At least it's not raining on Wall Street. Yet.

Rainy days are a necessary part of life. Without them, we complain about drought and global warming and crop failure. The storm which frustrates the golfer warms the heart of the farmer. But when rain turns to floods and subways malfunction, we realize that our planet doesn't function as it was intended. There would have been no hurricanes or military buildups or stock market crashes in Eden. Because of the Fall, "the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time" (Romans 8:22). Disaster and disease is the consequence of our rebellion against God.

But there's good news this morning: our Creator says that "when you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior" (Isaiah 43:2-3). You'll face nothing today that he hasn't already seen. You'll feel nothing today that he does not feel. You'll go nowhere without the Lord of the universe at your side.

You can't see him, but he's looking at you right now. This is the promise of God.

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