A Dry Season

As I sit at my computer I’m listening to the rain fall gently on the roof of my house. It’s a wonderful sound, especially after weeks of very little rain!  The grass was turning brown, some local farmers were starting to feed hay to their cows, some trees had yellow or brown leaves, and little streams had dried up as river water levels dropped. It was dry, dry, dry! And then a few days ago we had a brief shower of rain, another the next day, and then a quick torrential downpour. I thanked God for every drop even as I prayed for more. Then we had an overnight rain and the grass was beginning to revive. What refreshment for the earth! The dry season may be ending.

I also have dry seasons in my spiritual life. I get discouraged, depressed, or downright lazy sometimes. I don’t always feel the refreshment of sparkling mountain streams of spiritual living water. I am reading the writings of the Old Testament prophets and if that isn’t discouraging enough, I can see so much of today’s culture looking a lot like those Israelites who ignored the prophets and continued in their sin. God warned His people over and over through the words of the prophets and still they did not repent. The people died or were taken into exile by their enemies.  What will God allow our enemies to do to us, the USA?

I am in a dry season spiritually. It is discouraging to see many today ignoring the truth of God’s Word and know God will not always withhold His judgment. I long to see people turning to the truth of God instead of inventing their own truth. I pray for revival in our churches, for Christians to really be the hands and feet of Christ. How do we do that in this politically divided environment? What is it God wants me to do? It is difficult to know what important steps I should be taking, but I am certain that I must never forsake the truth of God’s Word. I must maintain a strong prayer life along with continued study of the Word.  God is showing me the way one step at a time.

Reading the prophets’ writings is not all “gloom and doom.”  God gave them words of hope! Isaiah 32:1-2 says, “See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.” Jesus is King of kings! He has made living water available to all who wish to receive it.  My dry season will pass. I will again rest beside the still waters and feel the refreshing showers of blessings. God is still in control!

“When you went out before your people, O God, when you marched through the wasteland, the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance” (Psalm 68:7-9).

I better prepare to gas up my lawn mower after the predicted showers for this week! Thank you, God!