Wednesday, September 4, 2024
God’s Refreshing Rain Submitted by Kay Crumley
As I sit in the sunroom listening to the very light patter of rain, ok, it’s really more of a light shower, on the metal roof, it is almost impossible for me to read a book. I just can’t stay focused. I look up and see the birds at the feeder and hummingbirds at the flowers. I feel the light cool breeze and smell the wonderful smell of rain in the air. As my senses are engaged my mind is filled with gratitude to our Father, provider, sustainer, creator, and giver of all good gifts for bringing rain to my house today. I prayed for some rain this morning as I got up. The plants need rain. God knows our needs before we ask but He wants us to ask anyway to show our dependence on and love for Him. I then began to wonder if I could write a devotional centered on rain. Which raised the question, ‘what does devotional mean?’ I found several definitions but a couple I like and believe are accurate to my understanding is ‘the obedient submission to God’ or ‘connected with the act of religious worship.’ As I express my gratitude to God today, I am sharing my worship with you in this devotional.
What then does the Bible have to say about rain? There are many passages about rain. Let’s consider a few that align with my thoughts today that show refreshing results of His rain.
Psalm 68
7 When you, God, went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,
8 the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
9 You gave abundant showers, O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.
10 Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.
In this passage we see a psalm written by King David. It is reviewing the faithfulness of God to the people of Israel. God went out before His people as a General leads his troops into battle. We see many instances when God went before the armies of Israel which resulted in their success against their enemies. He also went before them in the wilderness leading them in the wilderness as a pilar of fire by night and a pilar of cloud in the day. He is our powerful leader; we are to follow Him. Under His great strength the earth shook, and rains poured down. He is the creator of all, all powerful God. The Mount Sinai in the wilderness was the place He met Moses and gave him the ten commandments establishing a set of rules for His people to live by because He is the God, the King of His people. Just like us, they needed guidance for daily living. Then, He gave them abundant showers, a lot of rain. That refreshed, renewed the strength of His people. The wilderness was dry, God provided the rain that would cool, refresh, and provide food for His people. Without God’s presence we are dry and without what we need to be fruitful in His service.
Hosea 6:3
Let us acknowledge the Lord;
let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth.
Hosea, the prophet, was married to an unfaithful wife as an example of the Israelites unfaithfulness to God. She would leave him but because of his obedience to God and love for his wife he would rescue her and bring her back to him. That was just an example of how God dealt with the nation of Israel as they turned away from Him many times, but He rescued them because He is faithful to the covenant. Now in Chapter 6 Hosea is pleading with the people to return to Yahweh, I Am, by acknowledging Him and pressing into the knowledge of Him. They knew His love and faithfulness to them. He is reminding them to admit to their need for Him. Hosea uses an example we all see throughout the seasons. He will appear to us just as the sun rises in the morning. God is dependable. When He comes, He will replenish us with His blessings just as He refreshes the earth with rain that enables the seeds to sprout, the plants to grow, and the animals to be fed. We need that nourishment from Him in our lives. He provides our every need.
Acts 14
16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.
Paul had set out with Barnabas on his first missionary journey. The people of Lystra are so impressed by Paul when he healed a lame man that they began to offer him and Barnabas worship and honor as gods like Zeus. Paul stopped them immediately. He then explained that in the past men had gone their own way, ignoring God our Father, the one true God. But even then, He showed Himself to them by giving them good things. He is the creator and sustainer even for those who don’t know Him. He provided rain which caused crops to provide food for them. They benefited from Him even when they didn’t know who He was. You and I have no excuse to fail to honor Him with our worship. We know who He is and how many ways He provides for us. Do we fall on our knees and worship Him each time we are blessed by Him?
In a recent Bible study group one of our members requested prayer for rain. I saw a member of that group today who reminded me that our prayers were answered. Do we keep a record of our requests and then His answers? I believe we should so we can be aware and acknowledge His goodness and faithfulness to us just as Hosea said. He provides for the just and unjust. We can rely on Him even when we are unfaithful to Him. In obedient submission to Him I praise God from whom ALL blessings flow.
