His Words Like Rain on Parched Earth

 

Deuteronomy 32:2

Good News Translation

² My teaching will fall like drops of rain
    and form on the earth like dew.
My words will fall like showers on young plants,
    like gentle rain on tender grass.

 

For anywhere from ten to twelve months, the hills surrounding our home are dry and brown. We seldom get a drop of rain, and if by off chance it does rain, it does no visible good. Winter usually brings a rainy season, and we get several rains interspersed with cool weather. The long dormant seeds drink in the water and sprout. Within a few days, the brown is tinged with green. Then the green increases steadily, especially as it gets more showers. After a couple weeks, the hills are a lovely green. Flowers begin to appear. Actually, there are some flowers that seem to thrive, even in the driest of weather, but they are few and far between. On a walk in the hills, I usually spot 8 to 10 different kinds of flowers, tucked away here and there. But in the desert, those flowers actually disappear in the rain, and scores of kinds of flowers blossom in their place. At times the whole desert floor is vibrant with color. The Interstate that runs within a league from our home becomes severely congested by passersby enjoying the beauty.

Even so the words of the Gospel bring joy, gladness, and peace to those who believe when they read or hear them. These words lift the burden and stress formed by the cares and toils we encounter every day. They bring hope and anticipation to the hours that previously were but boredom and even dread.

So, take a few minutes now and refresh yourself with words from God’s Word.

 

God Does Speak to Us Directly

Habakkuk 2:2

King James Version (KJV)

² And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

For years I envied Abraham. When he wanted to know something he simply asked God and God answered him. That was simple enough! I wished God would answer me when I desperately needed to know which way to go. As time went by for me, I began to sense that in reality God wasn’t right there at Abraham’s beck and call. We only have record of three or four times when God actually spoke to Abraham. Abraham lived about 180 years, so on the average he received an answer from God about once every 45 years. And, of course, I have an advantage Abraham did not have: the sacred Scriptures that record God’s answers to others.

My wife, Sylvia, and I have been collecting letters we wrote from Africa over the years we were serving as missionaries there. The other day I ran across a letter I wrote on April 30, 1979. It addressed God’s response to an issue we had faced for over a year.

Soon after we married, we committed our lives to be missionaries to Africa. We enjoyed our work and stay in Africa and loved the people we worked with there. The issue at that time involved our furlough home to the U.S. coming due in 1979. Complications had arisen that were demanding our attention but were beyond our ability to solve. We asked the Lord to clearly indicate to us whether we should return to the U.S. permanently or return to Africa for another term. The Lord provided a double response in January that He clearly wanted us to permanently return to the U.S.

Sometimes the Lord has to hit me up the side of my head with a two-by-four to catch my attention. Both Sylvia and I wanted to remain in Africa, so we laid plans to continue to stay there. But this decision weighed very heavily on my mind. It seemed to me that I was ignoring God’s clear word, and I could gain no rest. Matters came to a head on Friday, April 27. That evening His response was as clear as if a voice spoke audibly to me. It said in the tone of absolute authority and gentle reproof, “I already told you!” I sensed I had been proceeding in a path of open rebellion to what God had personally revealed to me.

That is the closest I have ever come to sensing that God was speaking directly to me. I thank the Lord of heaven and earth for stooping to communicate with someone as insignificant as I. The other day as I read that 1979 letter to her, I asked Sylvia how she felt about our decision to return permanently to the U.S. at that time. She agreed with me that it has certainly been the best for us and our family.

Thank You, almighty Lord, Creator of our vast universe, for being sufficiently interested in each one of us to be willing to guide us when we really need You.

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