Well, I was really tempted that week. It was the same old temptation that I’ve had for many years. The one that got us into so much trouble back when Adam faced the same temptation. Remember? The snake said, “If you eat of this tree you will be like God” (see Genesis 3:4). That was too much temptation for Adam and his bride. And we know what happened. Nonetheless, we continue to be tempted, don’t we?

It started innocently enough after the third day of rain. Most of our area had received between five and ten inches, and the ground was soaked. After thanking God profusely during the first two days, I was starting to get antsy. The abundance of run-off was causing erosion at Siete Ranch. Rain water was leaking into the north building at the church and impeding the construction on the new sanctuary. I just couldn’t help it. I started thinking about the fact that, if I were God, I would do things differently.

First, I thought, if I were God I would spread this rain out more. I wasn’t quarreling with the amount of rain, but just with the scheduling. For instance, what if we had gotten a couple of these inches back in July and then maybe three in August? In my head, I was working out a sprinkler schedule that makes much more sense than God’s. Not only that, but I could see the results in my imagination: beautiful green pastures and lawns, and blooming flowers nearly year-round! That led to some other adjustments in temperatures and cloud cover that were calculated, I confess, to maximize my time outdoors. Inevitably, I started tinkering with the high summertime humidity levels in north Texas and . . . well, you get the idea.

I was getting pretty worked up about all of this and finally mentioned it to my own bride who, having read the story many more times than I, takes God’s warning much more seriously than did Eve. Her response was pithy, to say the least: “Honey, I’ve told you before. Stick to sales. Stay out of management. You’re no good at it.”

So, to make a long story short, don’t blame me if it continues to rain. And a brief reminder: It surely is true that God’s long-term plans are better than our short-term thinking. I am told by experts that the tremendous soaking set up the roots of our grass and other plants in such a way that they will emerge from even a cold winter to produce a brilliant spring. I confess that, if I were God, I would not have thought about that.

excerpt from: The Long View: Reflections on Life, God, and Nature by Donald W. Underwood. Copyright©2013 by Abingdon Press. Used with Permission. This book publishes in September.