TWO KINDS OF RAIN
Christine Wyrtzen
So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord, His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.
Hosea 6:3
Two kinds of rains were necessary to give Israel their grain. The fall rain prepared the ground for the seed. The spring rain fell at the time of harvesting. Both were necessary for their existence. God wants us to know that He is the God of the past and the present. Just as He was faithful to bring nourishment in the 'good old days', He is someone we can count on today for fresh rainfall.
So many live in the glow of their past. Daily, they pine for what they used to have, whose company they used to enjoy. It's as if they believe that life has taken a turn and God can no longer be found. With profound discouragement, many lament that God is simply not capable of bringing latter rains.
There are often seasons of profound loss. I've lived through a significant number of them myself. Blessing seems like a thing of the past. "Remember when" becomes the focus of my conversations. This is the time when I must vow to know the Lord more, not less. Otherwise, I will perish for lack of knowledge. I will dry up as my inner world starts to resemble a scorched landscape. The seeds of yesterday are not able to bear fruit without the rains of the Spirit nurturing their growth.
If I am in a wilderness, all the more reason to seek God earnestly. A casual, inquisitive search will not suffice. It will just ensure a slow starvation. God rewards me when I seek Him with my whole heart, when I wait on Him, when I am assured that He is the God of present rains. To be still, to hear the voice of His Spirit, is to be bathed in the gentle showers that bring the new harvest.
Today is a day to see green, not brown. If the past was glorious, rejoice. Your future only promises something infinitely greater. Eden can be yours today no matter what circumstances you are enduring.
Some of Your children have not felt a drop of rain on their faces for a long time. May they come to You today through the door of Your Word and be renewed through the rains of Your Spirit. Amen
Originally published Friday, 16 November 2018.
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