A Forecast of Rain

Friday, October 29th, 2010

Today's Passage: isaiah 55: 10-14
Memory Verse: James 5: 7

Pastor Chris told us a story this week in Praise Team rehearsal about what happened at a football game he attended once.  Anyone who knows my husband knows how excited he is about watching football --live or on television.  So you can imagine his elation to be at the Jaguars football game that particular day.  But the heat was do oppressive that day that even the most enthusiastic fans could not get into the game.

Looking around at that moment, you'd think there was no way possible that a refreshing from the sky in the form of rain would be on the way.  Pastor Chris said it got so miserable in the stadium that they were considering leaving before half-time (which, trust me, would have been more difficult for him to do than you could ever imagine).  

Then Pastor Antoinette, who is super sensitive to these things, looked at the weather report on her I-pad.  Strangely enough, the forecast said that rain was coming.  Who would've ever thought a crazy thing like that would be possible?  Looking into the sky, there was not one single shred of evidence that rain was on the way.  And yet, by the time the second half came, Pastor Chris told us that it was raining so hard, everyone in the stadium was drenched almost to the bone.  It rained so hard and so long that, when the rain finally stopped, on the ground as well as on every seat was the residue of that which could not be discerned with the human eye earlier.

So what am I saying?  This rain that God has promised us IS on the way.  And here's the important thing to remember: it's because you can't see any evidence of it right now that you know with an assurance it's coming.  How else is the rain supposed to fall unless the intense heat from the sun soaks up all the excess moisture that we didn't know was there?  Here's your spiritual forecast: Expect intense discomfort during the process of evaporation.  Finances, relationships -- anything that has the promise of blooming and blossoming when the rain comes -- will experience pain.  But oh, when the rain comes, every aggravation will be washed away.  And you're not the only one who'll be carrying the residue.  May we all get to the place in our lives where we can pray: "Bring the rain, Lord."

Prayer: Father,  we are earnestly awaiting the approaching of the rain we've asked you for.  Let the heat of that preparation not run us away from You, but straight to to Your heart.  Then, as we enjoy the downpour, may the evidence of the rain follow us everywhere we go,  in Jesus' mighty Name.