Friday, July 20, 2012

The Mercy of Drought

"You can always count on Americans to do the right thing—
after they've tried everything else."
~ Winston Churchill

Do we still live up to these words? Did we ever, truly?

: : :

"When I shut up heaven and there is no rain …"
~ 2 Chronicles 7:13 (NKJV)

In the Bible, numerous times, drought is mentioned as a specific signal of God's displeasure with wickedness. (See Leviticus 26:18-20; Deuteronomy 28:23-24; Jeremiah 14; Haggai 1:11) His intent in withholding rain, always, was that when His people became desperate during resulting famine, they would repent and return to Him.

And so, this last Sunday during prayer time, when my third and fourth grade Sunday School children listed an overnight sprinkle among the things to give thanks for, we also asked for more. We asked God, in His mercy, to send our parched land rain. And we also asked that if He's using drought to get the attention of people, would He please move them to turn toward Him.

"God thunders marvelously with His voice;
He does great things which we cannot comprehend.
For He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth';
Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength."
~ Job 37:5-6 (NKJV)

Tuesday brought record heat to our area, bleaching brittle grass impossibly pale. That evening, as we exited the air-conditioned house of friends, we discovered the outdoor temperature had plunged. I wrongly guessed it to be no more than seventy. Eighty degrees never felt as cool and refreshing. I raised face and arms toward Heaven and declared, "Rain on us, Lord!" Another voice mentioned the torrential spring flooding and chimed in, "But not too much!"

Later, in my heart, over and over, my spirit whispered to God. Reign over us, Lord. Please change the spelling and preposition of my prayer.

The heavens whispered back intermittent sprinkles that night and Wednesday. Then yesterday, a gentle and generous rain fell almost continuously. My soul was moved by its tenderness upon fragile earth, keenly aware of God's compassion for the frailty of His creation.

Today the skies are blue. I tremble to consider the might of God and the love of God, wondering if enough people will keep their faces turned toward the Creator.

Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."
~ John 5:14 (NKJV)

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Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

10 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thank you for your faithful friendship, Denise. Much love to you!

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  2. I loved strolling through this.

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  3. To "reign" over us is the key, isn't it?

    Have you heard this song by Nathan Clark George... ("I Will Rejoice" based on Habakuk 3)? It's so fitting.

    http://nathanclarkgeorge.bandcamp.com/track/i-will-rejoice

    Blessings.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Darlene. His reign is more necessary than even the rain. Perhaps if we'd acknowledge more of the former we'd receive more of the latter.

      Sorry for the delayed reply, for which I ask forgiveness. Life brought extra speed bumps this week, including computer issues. :P

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  4. thanks for sharing this...i found your blog thrue other followers..looking for to visit more...blessings from holland

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    Replies
    1. I'm glad to meet you, Soraya. I see that we both know Denise. I pray that you are always blessed here, and hear God speaking in your life.

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  5. Replies
    1. Thank you, Nataša, for "beautiful." You are too! ♥

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