Showers of Blessings

Chuckle: "How do you prepare your chicken," a patron asked. "Nothing special, Sir," replied the waiter. "We just tell them straight out that they're going to die."

Quote For Today: “Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.” --Robert Louis Stevenson

SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS

"He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy" (Acts 14:17 ESV).

In my youth, I remember seeing farmers congregate on an old wooden bench in front of a feed store and, looking up at the sky, discussed the prospects of rain and the success or failure of their crops. It was serious business because their livelihood was at stake. They were concerned about providing for their families.

If you grew up on a farm, you likely have indelibly imprinted in your mind the dire consequences of inadequate rainfall. You can prepare the fields perfectly and plant the finest seeds, but without adequate moisture nothing can grow or produce a harvest. In Biblical times, the society was mostly agrarian and conversations often centered around feast or famine, depending upon the amount of rainfall received. Historically, Israel's success or failure as a nation was dependent on God's providing the needed precipitation.

To use an analogy, you may be thinking that you are in a drought when it comes to God's showers of blessings. There may be problems in your life that you feel will never end and you feel helpless to do anything about them. You may be wondering why God does not shower more of His blessings on you and make your life better.

It was true with the ancient Israelites and it is true for God's people today; our faith in God to meet our needs is essential for our emotional and physical well-being. Regardless of the hardships in your life, you must remember that God is in control, genuinely cares about you, and will meet your needs regardless of how dismal things may look to you right now. In the same way that God blessed His people with abundant rainfall and fruitful seasons in Biblical times, He wants us to trust Him to shower His blessings on us at the right time to uplift our spirits and give us hope.

Love, Jerry & Dotse