Happy Tuesday!
Rainy days… I have write inside this morning because it’s RAINING here. Part of me is bummed out, while I’m also very grateful to GOD for watering my gardens!
So many times, when God is blessing us… it’s inconvenient at first. Rain is an inconvenient blessing isn’t it?
In the Bible, rain is a SYMBOL of God’s favor and blessing. Especially in the days when the bulk of economy hinged on the success of the farmer… rain clouds we’re welcomed with GREAT CELEBRATION!
When there is rain, there is no need for man made irrigation. God does all the work for us while we sit back and WATCH the harvest GROW because of Gods FAVOR and BLESSING!
Deuteronomy 11:9-12 If you obey, you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors and to you, their descendants-a land flowing with milk and honey! FOR THE LAND YOU ARE ABOUT TO ENTER and take over is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you planted your seed and made IRRIGATION DITCHES with your foot as in a vegetable garden. RATHER, THE LAND YOU WILL SOON TAKE OVER is a land of hills and valleys WITH PLENTY OF RAIN – A LAND THE LORD YOUR GOD CARES FOR. He watches over it through each season of the year!
These verses were written to journal the period of time when Israel had just been delivered from Egyptian slavery… and God spoke through Moses about the BLESSING they were about to COME INTO! God said… IF YOU OBEY ME… THE LAND I’M BRINGING YOU INTO… IT’S NOT LIKE THE LAND YOU’RE COMING OUT OF… NO MORE IRRIGATION DITCHES… RATHER, THIS NEW PLACE OF FAVOR AND BLESSING WILL BE CARED FOR BY GOD HIMSELF… THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF RAIN!
Zechariah 10:1 ASK THE LORD FOR RAIN in the spring, for he makes the storm clouds. And he will send showers of rain so every field becomes a lush pasture.
Ask the Lord for FAVOR and BLESSING… for HE MAKES THE STORM CLOUDS… and HE WILL SEND SHOWERS OF RAIN… SO EVERY FEILD becomes a LUSH GREEN PASTURE!
Notice how we are commended to ASK for favor and blessing… so that God CAN SEND his blessings… and our lives CAN BECOME just like LUSH GREEN PASTURES!
God responds to prayer… this is the way he has chosen to operate in our lives. He wants to bless us and favor us… but he want us to OBEY his commands, BELIEVE his promises… and ASK FOR RAIN!
Matthew 7:7-11 ASK, and it shall be given you; SEEK, and ye shall find; KNOCK, and it shall be opened unto you: For EVERY ONE that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things TO THEM THAT ASK HIM?
So many people today feel like they are not allowed to ASK for good things. Don’t be like this… ASK GOD to favor your life with rain from the heavens… ASK him to WATER EVERY PART OF YOUR LIFE… ASK him to bring you into a NEW PLACE where he will do FOR YOU what you haven’t been able to successfully do for yourself… and BELIEVE that he is NOT going to give you a serpent when you ASK FOR A FISH!
I guess I better leave you guys alone so you can pray for a little while… HAVE FUN! And hey, don’t forget that many blessings start out as an INCONVENIENCE… they are called BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE. Just pray and believe… and no matter what your life may look like this afternoon or tomorrow or next week… just thank God for the everything he is doing to FAVOR your life!
I pray that todays blog adds tremendous value to your amazing lives! Please leave your comments… I love to read them every day!
GOOD word this morning, Pastor Chuck! GOOD WORD!
Thank you so much for sharing this! I really needed to be reminded that God desires for us to ASK. And I didn't know about Zechariah 10:1. WOW. Well, I'm asking for rain! And not just for my tomato plants, either!
Be blessed!
I’ve enjoyed all this glorious rain and also see it as God’s favor! God is watering our gardens so we have time to marvel at all those little miracles pushing up through the soil, defying gravity and weight. I have always thought of rainy days as a time of rest…ever wondered why the sound of rain on a roof top makes us sleepy? Even the animals, wild and domestic, lie down. God must have surely known that a cool repreive would feel even better after hard work in the sun! Maybe it’s another way God wants to show us His ways..there are seasons for “doing”; seasons for refreshing and rest. And after the rain….GROWTH!!
Wow! This is such a powerful post today. This is a lesson I've had to learn (over and over sometimes). I've learned that the great thing about storms is that no matter how scary they are at the time, growth and harvest always follow. Thanks for sharing this today.
Hey Pastor, Its a blessing to know we are getting rain there at home!!! (I am not there)!! Rain to me is is symbolic in many ways, a time of rest, a time of healing, symbolic of The Holy Spirit and that God is in Control of all things Always and as you said, we need to ask and believe in His promises and the season will come to pass for our blessings to manifest.
Thanks for a wonderful blog!!
Good Afternoon ladies! Where are all the guys at today? Too busy dancing in the rain I hope!
Very powerful comments today… I feel something deeply moving as I read your thoughts… its electrifying really! Thank you for taking the time to write! You gals are MIGHTY!
=)
Wow! This is so encouraging:) I read it to Erik over the phone and he was encouraged as well. He leaves for Afghanistan tommorrow so this came just in time:)
Thank you for breakin it down for us,
Mel
I feel the rain!!!! I love dancing in the rain!!!! I love jumping in the puddles. God is amazing. There are times I see rain as a cleansing so we can shine when the blessing comes in the fullness of His Glory!!!!
i can feel the rain cleansing my brain and blessing everyone in the world. I love to watch things grow after it rains and the warmth of the sun comes out.
I like rain like we got yesterday… little bit at a time and sunshine in between! =)