Sun 9:30a Class; 10:30a Worship; 11:35a Communion
Bible Bites
Wait for the Rains
“The LORD will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand…” (Deut. 28:12)
After the farmer has plowed the field, planted the seeds, weeded, and fertilized, he is left to watch the clouds – helpless to control the rains. The heavens are God’s storehouse of blessings and completely out of our control.
After all your hard work, all your toil, sweat, and tender care, the increase still belongs to God. Every day, people strive for success without achieving it. It turns out that the intangible things, the things often attributed to luck, happenstance, or serendipity, have more control over your life than you do. You have no say in what the weather will be, when and where you were born, the mood of your boss, or the traffic along your commute. The uncountable and unquantifiable belongs to God.
So accept vulnerability and weakness. Accept your limitations and inabilities. When we do that, we are prepared to lean upon the God of all understanding. The omnipotent I AM becomes our guardian and guide, and after we have plowed and planted, we farmers can simply sleep peacefully as we await His rains in their season.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.” (Jas. 1:17)
Our reliance on God to bless our work also reminds us that these things are blessings. Life and goodness and success are gifts from God to be grateful for. What we have, we have been given. Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom was given to him, and so is yours. The world talks a lot about privilege nowadays – the proper word is ‘blessing’. What benefits and goodness you have are a gift from God, and there is no need to be ashamed of what He has given you, but there is definitely need for gratitude in the equation.
What we have has been given and ought to be freely shared, too. So, do your best, work hard, and then wait for the rains. After God has given the increase (be it small or large), give thanks, and give back. As servants of the God of good gifts, we ought to be giving ourselves. Work, wait, receive, give thanks, give back – rinse and repeat.
“He who steals must steal no longer, but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.” (Eph. 4:28)
