What do you think about rain? When you think about rain, do you have warm feelings of affection? Or do you get angry or maybe depressed? I know we have recently had a little extra rain in central VA, which can affect our view of rain. However, I want you to remember that the rain is a blessing. Floods are a sign of judgment, not rain. In many of the curses we see from God, He shuts up the heavens so that they do not rain. No rain means no food or water. We read in Scripture that God shows kindness to us to give us rain (Acts 14:17). Rain is a vital part of the balance of our world and we need it. There are many verses in Scripture that refer to rain. As I was thinking about rain and how Scripture relates to rain, Isaiah 55:8-11 stood out to me.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

As we have been recently saturated by the rain, I pray that the church would bring forth the Word of God. That we may sow, that we may water and watch the Lord add the increase. That the increase would bring an abundant harvest of new believers, fellowship and love. That those who have been saturated by His love would grow and bear much fruit. I also pray that the Lord would saturate our land in a way that even if someone does not receive our Lord and Savior that they could have heard and understood clearly what they have rejected. God’s Word does not return empty. That means it has accomplished something, whether to salvation or to condemnation. Our hope is, as the waters come, that the seed is not washed away but takes root and flourishes. God is the one who is in control of times and seasons and we are in strange times and hard season. Please do not forget, that even in the worst season we have been called to preach the gospel. Also, remember that it is God who adds the increase. I hope that as we receive a LOT of physical rain, we are reminded and encouraged to saturate the world with the Word of the Lord and that the Lord’s Word would go forth as seed to the sower and bread to the eater.