Thinking About the Rain….

Thinking About the Rain….

It’s that time of year when the Fall rains arrive again. The leaves are falling from the trees, and the overnight temperatures are beginning to drop. Mornings are chilly, and walking the dog isn’t quite as enjoyable as it was a month ago! Having the sun hidden by clouds for days at a time can lead one to feel a little gloomy or melancholy. In the midst of that I read Psalms 118:24 which says, “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it”, and I wonder how to make that happen. As I began to write this, the morning was dark and chilly, and a steady rain was falling. And then I found this verse:

 “Drip down, O heavens, from above,

And let the clouds pour down righteousness.

Let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit,

And righteousness spring up with it.

I, the LORD, have created it.”

Isaiah 45:8

I was immediately challenged to think of rain as something more than water dropping from the sky to get us all wet! As I stood under my orange-and-white-polka-dotted umbrella, waiting for Louie to go potty (after coaxing him to go out there at all!), I pondered this for a few moments. In the Bible, rain is almost always mentioned in the context of blessing and is often connected with harvest. Scriptures abound that speak of the Spring rains at the time of planting and Fall rains at the time of harvest. These rains come at appropriate times to nourish the earth and allow seeds planted to begin to burst with new life. Eventually they produce a harvest by which we, too, are nourished. The Fall rains restore the earth and prepare it for the time of winter rest. This verse, in particular, speaks of the blessings that arrive with the autumn rains.

How often have I prayed that God would rain down righteousness so that the earth would soak it up and bear the fruit of salvation? Probably never! Especially during this time in history when so much is happening in our world, we should be praying for the rain of righteousness to pour down on our land! And, just as the natural rain restores the land and leads to a natural harvest, God’s blessings come in due season to restore and nourish us, bringing a harvest of salvation and righteousness. The Fall season reminds us to trust in God’s timing and provision, knowing that He will provide for our needs and bless the work of our hands.

Having lived in or around farming communities for much of my life, I am deeply aware that rural life is governed by the weather — when the rains come, as well as how much rain falls in any given season. The rains are only beneficial if they arrive at the appropriate times! Otherwise, crops are destroyed by flooding or drought, and we all suffer the consequences.

In the same way, God is continually raining down His gifts on us, and this is the season when we stop to acknowledge how blessed we are. Have we experienced loss and grief? Yes! Have our hearts been broken? Absolutely, but not beyond repair! As we consider the Fall season, bringing both harvest and the raining down of God’s blessings, I am reminded of all that has come into my life this year. What has He brought into your life? What blessings have rained down on you? What opportunities have you had to serve Him? How has your relationship with Jesus grown this year?

Galatians 6:9 tells us this: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Sometimes we are tempted to feel weary or discouraged. Planting and cultivating any kind of crop is just plain hard work. The Fall season is a good reminder for us that a season of reaping and harvest always awaits us. Farmers have many days of working from sunup until late into the night. Exhaustion wears on them, but they continue because they know the harvest is coming.

There is another beautiful verse that describes the journey of sowing and reaping for us, and can especially speak to widows. Psalm 126:6 says: “Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.”

Many widows have spent long days and nights weeping but continuing to be faithful and steadfast in their faith through it all. They have continued to pursue and grow in their relationship with God in spite of the grief and loss. They have continued to love others, and to obey what the Father says to them. They have faithfully given sacrifices of praise to Him, even when their hearts were aching.

If that describes your situation, then be assured that a time of harvest and blessing will surely come – as surely as Fall follows Spring and Summer. Open your heart in gratitude for the rains of all kinds that have come into your life. Some rainy days bring the dark clouds, but afterwards there is always sunshine. God’s promises to you never fail, so look around you with new eyesight to see the rains of sorrow turning into the rains of blessing.

As always, your thoughts and comments are welcome here or you can email me at sheryl@freshhope.us. If you’re looking for a new purpose and a pathway to move ahead, please consider joining one of our Refocusing Widows groups, either in person or online. You can register at www.refocusingwidows.org/Groups. We look forward to meeting you!