And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Genesis 1:31 ESV (emphasis added)
I love spending time in nature– walking, riding, or biking through woods and meadows, hills and valleys, along lakes or rivers. God has created such beauty and majesty in every part of our world! I grew up surrounded by woods and water– lakes, rivers, old forests and new-growth woods, with lots of farmland and meadows spread out over low rolling hills. So it is always with wonder that I look upon mountains, deserts, rain forests and jungles, and tropical settings because they are not part of the “normal” landscape for me. Even so, I never tire of the sites that greet me year-round–the steady breaking waves rolling in off Lake Michigan; the babbling of a small river or stream over field stone as it races down a small hill toward a pond; trees bowing and dancing in the wind just before a storm, or snow sparking across the frozen fields…
Nature is not just beautiful. It gives us yet another way to experience God’s “nature”– his character and provision. God is steady like a rock– strong, enduring, a safe refuge. God is refreshing and life-giving as a river– ready to wash away aches and soothe us. God is eternal, and his love is as vast and deep as the ocean. God is mysterious as the forest–giving shade and cover, and concealing treasures, and ancient secrets. God is faithful and steady as the sunrise and sunset and the pattern of the seasons. God is as open as a meadow, as pure as an ice shelf, as glorious as a desert sunset.
My husband and I recently returned from a vacation in which we drove through mountains and valleys, traced rivers and streams, and watched the rain falling gently on thirsty fields and meadows. We saw crags of ancient rock, watched happy cows resting in the shade of a copse of trees, saw herons at the edge of a small lake, and dipped our toes in a natural warm spring. We saw geese flying south for the winter, and squirrels chattering as they gathered nuts. It was beautiful, and it all spoke of a God who created variety and complexity, who cares for the land, the flowers of the field, and the birds of the air, and who calls to us through the beauty and grandeur of ordinary days in His Nature.
I pray that we can experience both aspects of God’s nature today–His Sovereignty and His Creation–and praise Him for who He is and how He has revealed Himself all around us.
Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops. James 5:13-18 (NLT)
I heard someone the other day claim that a friend of ours “has a direct line to God.” The implication was that our friend’s prayers are more powerful and more effective, because she has an “in” with God that others just don’t have. The friend in question was quick to point out that God does not have “favorites.” He loves us all the same, and He listens to all our prayers with the same loving care and goodness.
There are, however, some prayers that are more “powerful” than others. There is an oft-quoted verse from James, chapter five that says, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James goes on to present the example of the great prophet, Elijah, whose prayers caused God to stop the rain for three and a half years and then caused the rain to fall again. Unfortunately, the lesson we often take from this passage is that Elijah was a powerful pray-er. If we were a great prophet like him, maybe we would pray powerful prayers as well. But James is clear– “Elijah was as human as we are”–in fact, this same Elijah, after his “powerful” prayer that brought the rain back, ran and hid in a cave and begged God to let him die!
There are two things that make prayer powerful, and neither of them have to do with WHO is speaking! The first is that prayer has to be earnest. Prayers that are sincere, heartfelt, and consistent with God’s will are powerful– regardless of the words used, the length of time the speaker has been following Jesus, or the “importance” of the subject. God looks at the heart; He sees (and hears) right through the words! He sees the motives. And if our motives are impure or selfish, our prayers will still be heard and answered, but perhaps not with the miraculous flourish that we expected.
Secondly, powerful prayers are lifted up by “a righteous person.” And this is where many people miss the blessing of this verse. Who, exactly, is “a righteous person”? NO ONE! At least, not on our own. If we think that our prayers will be powerful because of who we are, what we have (or haven’t) done in the past, or how religious we claim to be, our prayers will actually be LESS effective. Like so many things in the Christian Life, this concept is counter-intuitive and counter-cultural. Powerful prayers are not the ones delivered by those who think they are powerful. Powerful prayers come from those who accept that all power, and all righteousness as well, comes from Christ alone. Such people know they are not innately “righteous.” Their righteousness comes from Christ– through His death and resurrection– alone. And such prayers reflect a wholehearted trust that God knows best and will answer in His own loving and wise way.
Truly powerful prayers come from anyone who is fully trusting in God– not because of who they are, but because of who GOD is. My friend does have a “direct line to God”– but so does anyone who trusts Him completely! You don’t have to be an Elijah to have a powerful prayer life. And that’s a great comfort, because even Elijah wasn’t always a mighty prophet. Sometimes, he was frightened, defeated, and depressed. Sometimes, he was hurt and sullen. Sometimes, he was just plain worn to a frazzle! But God still heard him and used him to inspire a nation.
Spring has arrived. In my part of the world, that means many people are hoping for milder temperatures, gentle spring rains, and new growth after the cold and colorless winter. Most of us love the idea of spring, and the promise it brings. Those soft days of baby birds chirping outside our window as the gentle raindrops roll down; of newly budded trees and flowers opening to the warmth of the sun; the smell of freshly turned earth in gardens and fields; the bleating of lambs and the down of chicks and ducklings; children squealing in delight as they leap from puddle to puddle in their colorful boots; the world slowly waking up in a thousand shades of green..
Of course, it never seems to go exactly like that– sometimes the weather this time of year can be volatile– tornadoes, freak ice storms, sudden heat waves, flooding, or a mix of all of the above in a matter of hours! Chirping birds can’t be heard over the roar of traffic and blaring car radios. The smell of exhaust chokes out the aroma of rich dirt or fresh flowers. The same rain that brings puddles also brings mud and run-off and potholes in the road. And, possibly because we have such expectations of spring, it seems to fly by and disappear almost before it comes. There is a joke that sort of summarizes the unpredictable nature of spring around here– “I love spring in Michigan (or insert another Midwest state)– last year it was on a Wednesday!”
Like the season of spring, prayer holds promise and expectation. God promises to hear our prayers, but sometimes our expectations are not in line with God’s answers. Farmers pray for dry days to plow and plant, and rain to come before and after to soften the earth and water the seeds. Little League players want the rain to come on Monday, and the diamond to be dry by Saturday. School children want the rain to come overnight, so the playground will be dry for recess. Commuters want the rain to fall after they drive to work and before they have to drive home. All may pray for rain, but not in the same way, for the same reasons, or at the same time.
We all want the promise of easy growth, gentle weather, and comfortable routine. But God’s plan may involve blustery days and muddy driveways. God will bring rain, and sunshine, in his time. He will calm the storms and blow away the clouds. He will send us flowers and rainbows, and perfect days for flying kites and playing baseball. And maybe, this year, it will be on Wednesday! But the stormy days remind us of three things:
God is with us through the storm. He is with us when the rains come; and when the clouds roll back to reveal the rainbow. He knows the pain you feel when you view the storm damage and assess the loss. Even as the seasons change, he has promised to be with us always
God is stronger than our storms. His ways are wiser than ours, and his plans are better. We may be drenched and covered in mud when we expected to be dry and comfortable, but the race isn’t finished yet. We may fall down, but we’re not out! He can give us the resources and the power to rebuild, renew, and start over. No matter how short (or long) our season of storms, it is only a season– it will pass. Just as winter gave way to spring, spring leads to summer–sometimes overnight; sometimes in fits and starts.
God is eternal. Storms and seasons are local and temporary. I may be experiencing spring in Michigan, but others are experiencing rainy season in India, or “fall” in New Zealand. It can be sunny here, and snowing in Minnesota, and raining at my cousin’s house in Alabama. And when I am praying for rain, someone close by is praying for sunshine. But someday, and for all eternity, God will be our source of light– there will be no need for storms and seasons, no need to pray for rain.
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God, my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest not; thy compassions, they fail not– As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest, Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above: Join with all nature in manifold witness To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.
Great is Thy faithfulness. Great is Thy faithfulness; Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided: Great is Thy faithfulness, LORD unto me.
According to the calendar, it is spring in Michigan right now. But we’ve experienced nearly all four seasons in the past two weeks! Some days were mild and sunny, others were rainy, windy, chilly, and a couple of days were even blustery with snow and sleet! Flowers have started popping up, birds have been chirping, even as the snow flies! My hall tree is covered in jackets, winter coats, hats, scarves, and caps. A few days, I’ve been in short shirt sleeves and sunglasses; the next days, I’ve needed a coat, hat, and gloves!
But even in days of chaotic weather, God is faithful! Even when I can’t decide what to wear, God is with me. If it should suddenly snow in June (and that HAS happened in Michigan before), God will not abandon me. Just as each day brings its own weather, each day brings God’s blessings.
Some days those blessings may include sunshine and bird song. Other days may include a much-needed hug from a friend, or a shoulder to cry on. Some days will bring both joy and sorrow, with God in the center of each. Each raindrop, each chattering squirrel, each beam of sunlight– all testify to God’s enduring presence. Each bud on the tree, each new tadpole, each wildflower in the forest, remind me that God is faithful to bring new life out of even the dead of winter.
Spring is a wonderful time to reflect on the goodness of God, and His wisdom in creating seasons– wet, dry, cold, hot, restful, chaotic– God is master of all the seasons, and all the days of our lives. And that is a bright thought, no matter what the weather brings today!
This has been a somewhat laid-back week. I ran some errands on Monday, did some cleaning Tuesday, went to Prayer Meeting on Wednesday, and relaxed yesterday. But I wanted to share a few observations from this quiet week:
The corn is coming on fast in this area. Rain and heat mean that much of the corn was more than “knee-high by the fourth of July.” I am so thankful for farms and farmers– thankful for their hard work and planning, but also thankful for how God gives rain and sunshine in its season. It is so nice to see green fields gently swaying in the warm breezes, soaking up all the recent rains.
Other crops are blossoming, as well. It is blueberry season, and David and I hope to pick a few quarts in the next week or so. I have a small herb garden, and we are enjoying fresh basil, chives, and sage. I also have a couple of tubs of tomato plants with medium-sized green tomatoes getting ready to turn red, and some cilantro and rosemary that got a late start, but what salads we will enjoy!
While driving on my errands and to church the other day, I saw a lot of wildlife (and not-so-wild life) along the way. I saw cranes and geese, deer, a random turtle, squirrels and rabbits, sheep and cows and horses, all with their young. I saw flowers of every color and size, enjoyed the shade of trees, and enjoyed watching the clouds float through the cheery blue sky.
Everywhere, there is life! There is color and movement, singing of birds and whispers of wind. And everywhere, there is evidence of God’s goodness!
Sometimes, it is very good to push back against the busyness of errands and schedules, and just marvel at God’s creation and His provision. Nature waits on God. He supplies all the needs of the plants, the wild creatures, and the earth. And He will supply all our needs, too. Not just physical and material needs, but soul-deep needs for peace, joy, rest, purpose, and even discipline. God can lead us in “green pastures” and also through the “valley of the shadow of death.” And though the way may be challenging and even difficult sometimes, we can trust in His wisdom and guidance.
So today, I choose to use my time and space to witness God’s glory in Nature; to praise His creativity and His wisdom; and to rest in His Grace.
We’re getting some rain outside as I write this. Not pouring rain; nor torrential rain; just a steady drizzle. But it looks as though we will get rain for another two days at least. Without stop. Cloudy, wet, chilly, dreary weather.
The news has been dreary, too. War, political upheaval, economic disaster looming, and general unrest. And it isn’t just localized. There is trouble everywhere, and, seemingly, all the time. And yet…events march along as though things are normal– as though the future will be bright tomorrow. There are festivals being planned (some with rain dates, others may be cancelled or lightly attended if the rain continues or worsens); people seem to be in the same hurrying, scurrying rhythm as yesterday. Some complain, or seem a bit oppressed, but most don’t even comment on the catastrophic events unfolding around us. They buy and sell, eat and drink, and rush to and fro like always.
There seems to be a universal weariness– people are tired of bad news, anger, protests, and arguing, but no one seems to want to DO anything positive, unless it is to live in denial of what is actually happening. “Oh, they are just exaggerating.” “That might happen elsewhere, but it will never happen HERE!” “Things will work out– we just need to wait it out.”
It reminds me of the warning of Jesus in Matthew 24:
For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Matthew 24:38-39 ESV
While I can listen to or watch bad news unfolding, it hasn’t impacted me directly. I don’t have to worry about bombs coming into my neighborhood (at least, I’m not expecting any today); I haven’t lost my home or a loved one in the past week. I watch the clouds and rain from the safety of a warm, dry apartment. It is easy to become apathetic. And, if I think about any of it, it is easy enough to say a quick prayer for “others” “over there.”
But I’m not building an ark. Jesus’s warning was not to “toss off a quick prayer” as we see signs of danger and await His return. Prayer is important, but it isn’t something to be done lightly. Living for Christ is more than wearing the name “Christ Follower” and a t-shirt or cross necklace. When was the last time I spent an hour in earnest prayer? When was the last time I fasted? When was the last time I felt compelled to act for the cause of Christ?
I’m not surprised that most people walk around angry, or apathetic about the state of the world. But as Christians, we should be working to make a visible difference. And that means our prayers must also be different than the comfortable “good wish” prayers that many of us (and I must include myself) often practice.
In the days of Noah, people were going about their daily lives without any clue of the horrors to come. And yet, there were signs, even then. There was evil everywhere– corruption, fighting, cheating, lies, danger, disease, famine, and oppression. But only Noah was building an Ark. He wasn’t caught up in watching CNN or trolling the internet, but he also wasn’t leading an “ordinary” life. His life stood out, because he listened to God. He was focused on what really mattered– saving those who would enter the Ark and survive the judgment to come. The Ark had room for more people– but they refused the invitation. Maybe they had a dentist appointment scheduled for that day; maybe they didn’t want to miss their “girls day out.” Perhaps they were planning a fishing trip or they were buying a house.
But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”
Luke 14:16-35 ESV
Again, Jesus warns that we are to be prepared to drop the “business” of daily living; to be prepared for the Return of Christ. There is a cost involved in being a “Christian” or a “Christ Follower.” We are not to be like those who are walking around with our heads in the clouds, or worse, with our heads filled with apathy or gloom. We are to be salt and light in this dark world. We should be praying for boldness and wisdom to seek out opportunities to serve, to encourage, and to share the Gospel.
“Lord, take over my days and my prayers, that I would not settle for comfort, but seek you with a fervent heart, and seek not to just observe, but to serve!”
We’ve been experiencing a heat wave. The temperatures are high, but the humidity makes it feel even hotter. People are doing whatever they can to avoid the heat– everything from driving around to stay in the air-conditioned car, wearing loose fitting clothes, wearing wide-brimmed hats for extra shade, drinking lots of cold water, or staying indoors with fans. Others have no alternative– they must walk in the heat, work in the heat, or try to find whatever shelter or shade is available, even if it offers only relief from the harshest rays of the sun.
Today, we are getting rain– blessed relief– cool drops of water and lower temperatures, along with clouds to hide the sun’s piercing rays. Even so, the rain has come with wind and even some flooding and storm damage. Even our “relief” poses some danger! So there is limited relief from the heat, but once the rain front passes, the temperature may rise, and the humidity will once again make the air steamy and oppressive.
Watching how people work and plan and worry about avoiding the heat of summer reminds me of how we work and plan and worry about avoiding another kind of “heat”– accountability and judgment. Hell is described as a “place of eternal torment”, a “lake of fire,” and a “blazing furnace.” People will do almost anything to avoid such a place. They try to pretend it doesn’t exist; they create “air-conditioned” philosophies and religions that block the reality of judgment and punishment; they worry and work and plot ways to escape their fate.
Jesus clearly taught that Hell is real, and that it is a place of darkness, suffering, gnashing of teeth, and despair. Someday there will be a “heat wave,” as all those who have rejected God’s offer of forgiveness and His Sovereignty face His judgment and righteous wrath. There will be no rain to bring relief or refreshment; no shade or cooling breeze of grace– only the unbearable oppression of guilt, shame, and self-torment that comes from being outside of God’s loving care.
There is a way to “avoid the heat” of God’s wrath– He offers complete restoration and eternal life for those who turn from sin and follow Him. Jesus, through His life, ministry, death, and resurrection, made it possible for us to live in God’s presence– His Light, His Glory, and His Love– in joyful eternity. We do not have to worry and work and plot how to “avoid the heat.” We need only put our trust in the one who sends the heat and wind and rain in their seasons, and whose Grace shades us from His wrath.
Part of this trust is being able to call out to God in our times of “heat”– whether from guilt or oppression–and ask for His blessed relief. Sometimes, we need to call on His Grace and forgiveness. Sometimes, we need to call on His promises– not to remind Him, but to remind ourselves that our “heat” is temporary, and His relief is eternally effective. This week, our “relief” from the heat came in the form of rain storms. We might be tempted to complain about the manner of God’s response to our cries for help in the moment. But we must remember that the storms and the heat waves of this life are temporary– the fires of Hell, and the blessings of Heaven are eternal.
When I was a small girl, we learned a song in Sunday School. It was primarily about the parable of the “house built on a rock.” (See Matthew 7:24-27) The first verse spoke of the wise man, who built his house on the rock. The second verse spoke of the foolish man who built his house on the sand. But the third verse challenged listeners to “build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ.” The first two choruses spoke of the rains coming down and the floods coming up; the third chorus said that “the blessings come down as the prayers go up.”
Sometimes, memories forged in childhood come back to tease our thoughts as adults. We had a much-needed but powerful rain storm the other night. While it didn’t lead to floods, it did dump a lot of water on fields that were in great need of moisture. And it reminded me that many farmers and gardeners had been praying for rain. Rather selfishly, my husband and I had been praying for sleep– some of our neighbors had been setting off fireworks for several nights in a row, well into the late hours of the evening, keeping us awake, and terrorizing some of the Veterans in the neighborhood. The rain cut their activities short last night (even as it kept us awake with thunder, lightning, and raindrops on the roof!)
But I was also reminded that prayer works much like the water cycle. Prayers go up, much like dew getting absorbed every morning, or water droplets evaporating in the sun. We don’t see any change. There is nothing dramatic about evaporation or silent prayers in the night. Prayers go up from many different people in any different places with many different needs. And they seem to end up evaporating.
Sometimes, we look up and see empty skies, and wonder– Did God hear my prayer? Will He answer? The skies seem empty and silent for weeks. And then we see clouds–sometimes dark and threatening– and we wonder again. What is God doing? Where is the rain? Will it bring floods and winds and disaster? What went wrong?
Sometimes, our prayers seem to bring, not showers of blessing, but trouble and heartache. And yet.. God’s answers may not fit our thoughts or desires. I certainly didn’t want thunder and lightning instead of fireworks– both are noisy and aren’t conducive to restful sleep. But the rain brought much-needed nourishment to flowers and crops. It brought down the super hot temperatures, and lowered the humidity (a little). It even cleaned the dust from my vehicle, saving me from making a trip to the car wash! Of course, these are small effects of a single storm. And the noise of the rain, while loud, finally lulled me to sleep, so in a sense, my prayer was answered. It wasn’t what I had imagined, But the principle is the same. Even in our storms, disasters and tragedies, there are blessings– if we have the heart to look for them. God’s presence can bring us comfort and encouragement even in the darkest night, and in the floods of life.
Just as the parable and the song remind us– building a life on the Rock of Jesus Christ, including a lifestyle of prayer, will keep us strong and resilient in the storms of life– whether we’re facing raging floods or a simple downpour, we can find hope in the faithfulness of God’s provision. God WILL provide– in His time and in His way– everything we truly need. The sand, dust, and even some of our earthly treasures may be washed away, but, as long as we are built up on the Rock, we will be blessed– sometimes in the most unexpected ways.
On Monday night, several strong storms moved through our area. There were also severe storms in other places, like Mexico City, and around Manila– high winds, heavy rains, hail, and flash flooding. Our town did not see much damage, but some nearby towns had many trees down and power outages, followed by near record-high heat.
Often when storms come, we question– “Where is God?” Doesn’t He see our suffering? Why does He allow it? We look for evidence of God’s goodness in spite of the storms in our life. We may even look for evidence of God’s goodness in the aftermath of a storm– “Well, it could’ve been worse..” But in the past couple days, I have seen evidence of people finding God IN the storm. At least a couple of friends were watching the storm approach and/or pass by, and they were able to capture a picture showing lightning striking through a rainbow!! Others have pictures of a glorious red sunset. Both pictures remind us of God’s faithfulness and His promises. God never promised that we would never see storms, but His rainbow reminds us that He will have mercy. A red sunset also speaks to sailors and farmers of better weather to come with a new dawn. God is not absent, waiting to speak after the storm is past. He is right there in the middle of the storm for those who are looking.
Another thing I noticed is that several people have become evidence of God’s care in, through, and in the aftermath of the storms. Several people have volunteered to help clean up downed trees, or offered to provide food and water, or even (air-conditioned) shelter for those without power. Many such people have suffered some damage themselves. But their hearts are open to help their neighbors in their time of need.
I don’t recommend that we put ourselves in grave peril to see signs in the raging storms, nor am I trying to shame those who cannot volunteer to help in times of crisis. When storms come, it is wise to take shelter and TRUST that God sees us, knows our greatest needs, and will not leave us without hope. But it is also a great time to look for ways we can both SEE God and SERVE others.
Praying can help us in both ways. We should seek to praise God at all times–even in times of storms and trials. Instead of focusing only on the problems we face, we can be reminded of all the times God has been faithful in the past and remember all the promises He has kept! Instead of focusing on our own losses or pains, we can focus on praying for the needs of others and praying for wisdom in how to be helpful and encouraging. Because God is with us. Always!
The same mighty power that brings the storm is available to withstand it. God IS present IN the storm, just as He is present before and after. Sometimes, we ignore Him during times of ease and comfort. Sometimes we miss His voice in the raging wind and pounding hail. Sometimes, like Jesus’ disciples, we forget that God controls the winds and waves, and we let fear get the better of us for awhile. We wonder if God is “asleep on the job.” (See Mark 4:35-40) But a single word is enough to calm whatever storm is raging around us.
What a powerful God! What an encouraging reminder.
I’ve been reading through the books of Genesis lately, and I was struck anew by the story of the Flood. God caused it to rain for 40 days and 40 nights, and the floods raged for 150 days (See Genesis 7). But the description of the flood does not focus only on rain– instead, it talks about God opening the “springs of the great deep and the floodgates of Heaven” (v. 11).
There are some who argue that before this time, there had been no rain on the earth (see Genesis 2: 5-6). The Bible is not clear whether there was rain after Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, but it appears that rain was unnecessary in the wonderful Garden itself. God had provided rivers and springs to provide water, and there were mists that rose and settled. If this was still so in Noah’s time, then the falling rain would have been terrifying in itself. Things that fall from the sky can inspire both fear and praise.
Rain is generally considered a blessing–we need rain in its season, in showers of good quantity, to water crops, provide nourishment for trees and soil, and to replenish springs, pools, lakes, etc. And rain is part of the water cycle…moisture evaporates and rises (like the mists of old) into clouds, where it is held in storage until it rains back down to the earth. Water is a resource, but it is meant to be replenished, renewed, and reused. “New” water is not created, so much as recovered from steam or taken from its current source.
Not so with God’s blessings and His mercies. They are “new every morning.” (Lamentations 3:22-23) He sends them down like rain or snow, letting them fall in refreshing showers, reminding us that even when we are separated from God, He still loves us, watches over us, and delights to lavish His gifts on us.
God sends rain–God sends blessings. Whether we feel blessed often depends on where WE are. Are we safe in the Ark? In a house built on the solid rock of faith and dependence? Or are we living in perilous ignorance of God’s power to save and sustain us?
Pursuing Prayer 