Blessed Rain

I was looking at Bible Gateway's verse of the day, Joel 2:23, today. That is a verse so full of hope!

"Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month."

I like rain. Not a dangerous rain, but the kind of shower that cleans the air, washes the car on occasion and waters the ground so that plants can grow.  I love the way the air smells  after the rain stops.


We live in an area where water is most important, for crops that supply part of the nation.  When it doesn't rain, we miss it. The ground gets so hard we can't dig without trouble.  Then once the water pours, we have ground full of muddy pits. ;-D How like life that is!

We can get so dry, when we wander away from God's purpose in our lives.  People distance themselves from speaking to God, or hearing him, or even caring whether He exists, until they live in a dry and thirsty land and need him. We humans get so far in a pit if the rain did come, we couldn't feel it. Then we whine to God about not getting increase.  Why is that?  

Or we may be like the farmer who takes the twin stick out to the ground to try to find water when there is a faucet nearby. We'll search and search in the wrong places, and the spirit will feel dry, distant, but not for seeming lack of trying. Then all of a sudden, maybe we get it and turn the faucet on.  Or we may feel so muddy we don't think we'll ever wash clean.


But there is good news, in that God promised the rain. Regardless of our situation, or attitude, God will rain on our heads. That rain can feel hard with sleet and knock us down one, or can cause us to grow.  God knows we'll be grateful for it, once the waters abate and when our lawn is nice and green and our plants come up.

In Joel, God says I will pour on the rain. The former rain, the latter rain, the abundance of rain.  He already gave us blessings. Past, present and future, That rain--God's love--His blessings of hope--they are all guaranteed, sent and ready for those who accept it.  Have faith and look up. 

As I said, I like the rain. I like my roses watered. I like the rain as an analogy of blessings pouring down.  However, the rain I love the most, is when God waters my spirit. When the rain washes all the dust out of the air, all of the things that formed a cloud between Him and I. When he cleanses me and sets me right, so i can breathe and see what is real, instead of wandering without hope.
 
When you feel dry and alone, just look up and trust God to send the rain. He already has, he is, and he will again.