Will It Ever Rain Again?
This area of God’s country is dry! It has been at least three weeks since we received any significant rainfall, and the prediction is another week or so with only slim possibilities of rainfall. Someone noted the words of Jesus, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:44 – 45 emp. mjd) After quoting the passage they asked, “What kind of people are we when it doesn’t rain at all?” Makes some food for thought, doesn’t it?
Drought isn’t new to the world. God used it several times in the Old Testament days. He used rain as well, even destroying the world that then was with rain for forty days and nights, with the fountains of the deep breaking up, thus causing the flooding of the entire world with some fifteen cubits (more than 22 feet) above the highest mountains! (Genesis 7:20) God is in complete control of the weather … regardless of what man “says” he can do about the weather!
Several farmers have expressed some concern for their crops during these weeks of drought. Soybeans develop best when they receive approximately two inches of rain each week in August. That didn’t happen this year, and we already see the leaves of the beans turning golden and falling from the stalks. Corn also needs rain to bring the ears to fullness. Some farmers have informed me an inch a week from July until mid-September would be ideal, but again, that didn’t happen. So, farmers will “git what they git and can’t throw a fit.” Frankly, most I’ve talked to are still talking about a “bountiful harvest of both beans and corn.” In fact, one told me, “God is good. We’ll be just fine!”
Unfortunately, some folks complain either way: too much rain, or not enough, too cold, or too hot. Satisfaction is hard to give because no matter what good is done, many are still not satisfied (Proverbs 27:20). Instead of being grateful that things are as well with us as they are (Hebrews 13:5), they want things “better.” Better by who’s standard: God’s, the other person’s, or YOUR standard? In most cases, the satisfaction desired is selfish – if it doesn’t suit YOU, then it just doesn’t suit! How kind is that attitude? How thankful is that attitude?
The fact is people living in this twenty-first century are abundantly blessed! Those who survived the “Great Depression” are “octogenarians” at least. Only a few in our country remain who lived through the “Dust Bowl” time of that depression era. Advancements in agricultural processes and soil conservation have nearly banished the times of the 1930s and have increased harvests multifold. Yet, many remain ungrateful: resenting the lack of rain, or the abundance of it! They simply cannot be grateful knowing that God is in charge and has not forsaken His people! (Psalm 9:10)
We would be remiss if we failed to see the spiritual side of this quandary. While it is our work to sow the seed of the kingdom (Luke 8: 4 – 15). In the parable, the sower’s work was to sow the seed – nothing more and nothing less! He was not responsible for changing wayside, stony, or thorny ground into good fertile ground. He wasn’t responsible for how birds came and ate the seed from the wayside ground, or the rocks that kept the seed from gaining a good root depth, or for the weeds that choked out the otherwise good growth of the seed. No, he was responsible for sowing it! The parable teaches us the “ground” in that field are the four types of hearts within mankind. Some just don’t want God’s word (Luke 8:11). Others appear to want it but won’t let it get deep down into their souls. Others are more interested in the cares of this world, including its pleasures, or at times, the “ill health” that they believe “excuses” their service to God. But the ones who are receptive of that good seed of the kingdom are grateful! They realize GOD gives the increase PROVIDED our hearts remain receptive to that seed and its growth! Remember, Paul said that he had planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase! (1 Corinthians 3:6) None of the faithful ever complained about “not enough, or too much” rain. They did what they could do while God took care of the weather that permitted the increase.
If the Lord wills, it will rain again … but not until God determines the time and how much! If the Lord wills, fall (aka. Autumn) will come, and with it the changing of the color of the leaves, then their falling to the ground. This, if the Lord wills, will be followed by winter’s cold, ice, and snow, which in turn will find Spring and the return of flowers, budding trees, and planting time! But did you notice? This is all according to GOD’S will, not ours! Our work is to continue in faithful service to God, sowing the seed of the kingdom, watering as we can, but KNOWING ONLY GOD GRANTS THE INCREASE. Let Him remain in charge!
One last thought: Did you notice you can’t keep the seed in the bag? You MUST scatter that seed to all people! It isn’t your job to determine their worthiness of it. The fact is, maybe YOU aren’t “worthy” of it, but aren’t you glad someone planted it in your heart? Farmers around here will be sowing “winter wheat” in a few more weeks. There are other wintertime crops to sow as well. The point is, we can either stay busy whether it rains, or snows, or just stays dry. But we can NOT take the credit for the harvest of the seed! That’s God’s crop, and He knows more about it than we’ll ever know! Let’s just stay busy – and grateful – for His continued care and keeping of those of us who love that seed!