" I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. "
(Ezek 34:26)
"Rain is grace; rain is the sky descending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life." John Updike. I believe that every one of us enjoys the rain. The showers from above enlighten the moods, relax us, and help to calm a bit from a tiring schedule. In the holy scripture, rain refers to the blessings from heaven. It is our Great Almighty God who sends drizzles perfectly in its seasons. The well-known prophet, Zechariah once insisted the people plead to God to pour down rainfall. When there was a severe drought in the region, to tackle the hopeless situation Zechariah quickly came up with the thought of taking the situation to God. He asked the people to plead Lord with a whole heart so that he sends spring rain upon the land to flourish and on the people and cattle to live as most of the population were employed in agriculture and cattle-raisers. We can read from the Bible that, " it is the Lord who makes the storm clouds; And He will give them showers of rain, vegetation in the field to each man." (Zac 10:1) So, even unto this day, the Israelites thank God, when it rains as they are aware that when God sends showers, its blessings will be generous. And when they see rivers and streams of water flowing from their mountains and hills ( Isaiah 30:23–25), they know that times of refreshing have come.
A healthy climate is indeed a boon especially to those who depend on the land for food. Not only to them but also to mankind. We prefer to live in a cooler temperature area than a hot region. I have seen for myself that people particularly in the country region welcome the sprinkle with gratitude and celebrations. We yearn for it during the harsh summers and forget to thank God during its season. Back to Zechariah, the land was cursed by God and the people of the location faced dreadful dryness. People were in desperate poverty, livestock died, children were starving, etc. As I mentioned earlier dryness in the spiritual term refers to a "phase of no blessings." Somewhere in life, we would have all acknowledged this distressing moment. We pray and God's answer is what we've been taught the entire life. The Christian families teach the children to pray to God for simple things like school kits, for food, for provisions, to bigger ideas while choosing a college, picking up a rightful career, a good partner, and so on. We were made to understand that whatever we ask God in prayer. we receive it from Him.
So where does this alarming situation enter? Why is it that we are put into such situations? I have witnessed that many people fall back from their faith in God during these terrible times. They even mock God and yell at Him for the condition. They live in depression and frustration that many have turned their back to God by following a different faith.
But as a Child of God, what are we supposed to do? Let me take you into the life of Job in the Bible. Job's sorrow was unending when he lost everything, every good thing from wealth to health and even his children. He lost all of it in one day yet remained faithful to God. He never rejected God or uttered cuss words against His holy name. The amazing part is Job still believes in God for miracles. Look at his mental ability to endure every harm yet praise God. Unfortunately I, myself would have fallen if I was Job.
Have you ever wondered why God stopped being good or being God all of a sudden? Why is He quiet when we are unable to make out the circumstances? Why does He become a stranger to us? The once loving-good God who listens to our prayers and answers us made it an end to even consider our petitions? He no longer cares, nor bothers. The one who promised us to be with us disappeared and was found no longer. Why?
We must primarily understand that God is a good God despite the situation we face and the feelings we have on Him. Though we change, He changes not. Secondly, He is a good whose understandings cannot be measured, His ways cannot be judged, His works cannot be fathomed. He is a God astounding in Knowledge and wisdom that it is beyond human interpretation. Lastly, when God allows sufferings in our lives, He either wants to learn something or for Him to work His wonders in us. I simply say, " He is a God or He alone is a God who can change/turn our trials into triumphs." Although He has a plan behind it, certain moments in the time of the Bible made Him angry.
1. Drought occurs as a result of Sin.
There was a king named Ahab and his wife Queen Jezebel, who ruled Israel and was considered to be the most wicked king, in fact, the wicked couple. After her marriage with Ahab, Jezebel emerges to the power behind throne. Queen Jezebel hated the monotheistic Israelites religion. She fostered to spread her " Baal religion" with its many gods, ritual sex, and temple prostitutes. When she became queen, Israelites have already begun worshiping alien idols. Under his wife's malevolent influence, King Ahab protects and encourages pagan rituals. To Israelites, Baal worship was the worst sin against God, akin to today's Christians embracing Satan. Some interpreters see Jezebel as commendably faithful to her pagan religion, but the King's writers portray her as a dangerous apostate. The Israelites forsook their one true God Almighty and started worshipping idols. Now, this is a serious issue that angered the God of Israel.
The Israelites and their King provoked the anger of God by their practices. God was desponded at the ways of His children. They promptly, forgot His name, His mighty power, His blessings, and above all His love for them. Sometimes, we too feel the same way. we go bored reading Bible, going to prayer meetings, etc. It's because as we gaze at the world, their enchantment amazes us that we conclude that people out there live their hearts. And maybe, that would have been the problem with the Israelites as well. They found the Queen's way of worshipping her gods more amusing. Tied up with the infinite regulations of Moses, they wanted to be relaxed and enjoy the pleasures. In this way, they abandoned one true God. Hence God decided to send His mighty servant Prophet Elijah to warn the Kingdom. Therefore the prophet made it to meet the King. Elijah warned the king of the divine punishment that would be visited upon his land if he did not abolish idol worship and did not cause a general return of all Israel to God. Nevertheless, hearing it from Elijah, Ahab scoffed at the idea, saying: “Didn’t Moses already warn us that the rain would cease and the land would not give forth its produce if we should worship other gods? Yet, nothing happened as yet!” So, Elijah answered “God has been patient with you, but you don’t seem to realize it. Now you will see that not merely shall Moses’ words be fulfilled, but mine also. I tell you in God’s name that as from today there shall be no rain until I shall say the word!” As proclaimed by Prophet Elijah, there was no rain for 3½ years. The famine from the drought was so severe that King Ahab was looking everywhere for grass to feed his horses and mules. If those animals all died his army would be powerless against their enemies. To solve the dispute between Elijah &Ahab and to make him understand that the " God of Israel" Jehovah is the one true God, Elijah prayed to God to send fire from Heaven, and so God did it. He proved to the King, Queen, and the worshippers of Baal that Jehovah is the real and powerful God. After this victory, it rained.
When we choose to live in filthy ways, we cannot expect the outpouring(blessings) from Him. It doesn't just block our blessings, more importantly, it restraints God's Holy Presence. In (Jer 5:25) God says," Y(o)ur wickedness has deprived you(r) of these wonderful blessings. Y(o)ur sin has robbed you of all these good things." Yes! Sin leads us into deeper dryness. Still, what's so amazing despite all this is God heard the prayer of Israelites when they turned and acknowledged one True Almighty God. Go near to God, confess everything to Him, and ask for His forgiveness, He immensely forgives us and recollects no sin of our past, He the Holy Spirit transforms us into a new being and thus the rainstorm pours with all of God's blessings in it. The same thing happen in the time of Zechariah, it rained when people turned to God.
2. Drought as a purpose to move closer to God.
We all know that story of Ruth, Ruth was a Moabite woman married to an Israelite husband. Her life was all good until her husband passed away, and eventually, all the males in the family died leaving behind her Mother-in-law Naomi. However, Ruth chose to stay by her in-law, in Naomi's place with her people worshipping their One True God "Jehovah". After they both returned to the Homeland Judah, Ruth graciously and tenderly started to support the old Naomi trusting in the Lord. After a while, Ruth caught the eye of Boaz, a wealthy man in the land as she labored tirelessly all day for her mother-in-law. Boaz was impressed by the stories he heard of her love, sacrifice, and faith in God that led her to find refuge in the wings of the LORD (Ruth 2:12). The end of her story paints a beautiful picture of God’s intervention. Boaz and Ruth were married and had a son named Obed. Ruth, the widowed woman from Moab, became the grandmother of Jesse and the great-grandmother of King David, the most well-known of Israel’s kings. This means she was an ancestor of Jesus Christ! Isn't that amazing? God changed the aridness, when she moved closer to Him, closer to His presence with Faith. She received abundant blessings in her life through God who could make everything possible for her.
Sometimes, the scorch God allows is to help us to cling to Him. The Psalmist understood this and sings " You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water." ( Ps 63:1) Just when we offer our lives into His hands, choosing to obey Him, He changes the entire weather and sends us His rainfall from Heaven.
3. Drought as a cause for God's Power to reveal.
Isaac had enormous flocks and herds, which occupied the area around Gerar city and consumed lots of water and the philistines didn’t like it, as they too had animals and needed water simultaneously. Unfortunately, Egypt was lashed with severe famine during the time of Isaac and all the farmers left Egypt to save themselves. That's when God told Isaac to sow in the fields. Isaac could have questioned God looking at the circumstances, but he chose to obey God. "Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year a hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him."(Gen 26:12) Isaac understood that the power was not in the seed, the power was in the obedience. When he obeyed, that's when the miracle happen. The conditions need not have to be perfect for God's blessings. Amidst all the odds and impossibilities God blessed Isaac, in hundredfold blessings. He does the same for you and me when we trust Him and obey Him. He is a God who works in His ways which we cannot predict. He uses every negative situation in our lives for His Glory.
At any cost, choose to be with Him for His plans, and thoughts about us are greater than our plans and thoughts. We may not understand His actions, but whatever He does, He does it absolutely for our good, He brings the rainfall. God never leaves you in any situation nor does He forsakes you. Trust in Him and examine yourselves. The pain you are facing now knows no bounds when God fills you with His everlasting Grace. Let me quote my most favorite verse to encourage you, "But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me." God says, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!" See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. Cheer up folks, I pray that God will hear your cry and swiftly save you from the troubles you face. AMEN!!
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