Rain for Thirsty Pilgrims

Ps 84:5-7
Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
They make it a spring;
The rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength;
Each one appears before God in Zion.
NKJV

It is in the time of dryness that the need for rain is most urgently felt. Appreciation grows with scarcity. Longing is generated through denied desire. Just as we long for autumn rains after a long parched summer, so also we should thirst for the presence and fellowship of God.

Baca literally means weeping. It is a type of balsam plant that can survive in very dry conditions. The one whose strength is in the Lord, who sees this life from Heaven’s perspective, can go through the driest valley, the valley of weeping, and make it a spring. A place where rain is so abundant it pools on the arid ground. Their strength does not depend on their surroundings, but rather on the knowledge that they are only passing through. The valley is only a small part of the journey. They have the end in sight, one that makes the valley pale in comparison.

My soul is yearning for Your living stream.
My heart is aching for You.
All that I long for is found in Your heart
You are everything I need.
You are the thirst, You are the stream.
You are the hunger living deep inside of me.
You are the food that satisfies.
You are provision for the journey of our lives.
You are everything. You are.
(You are Everything, Brian Doerksen and Steve Mitchinson)

Grass-growing Rain

Ps 72:6-7
He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing,
Like showers that water the earth.
In His days the righteous shall flourish,
And abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.
NKJV

This, one of few psalms written by Solomon, speaks of the kind of rain that causes the grass to flourish and grow so quickly that it immediately needs mowing. His righteousness brings deep fulfillment, satisfaction from hunger, rich verdant growth in our souls.
When the powers of evil have been bound, and the Lord reigns supreme upon the earth, in His days, there will be peace. And the whole world that is now groaning and waiting for that day will be satiated with His rain. There will be no more darkness, only His light, for He is the Son. He is Jehovah.

Come as a mighty river. Come by Your hand deliver.
Lord, let Your presence wash over me.
Come in Your awesome power.
Come in this very hour.
Lord, let Your presence wash over me.
There is a river flowing from the throne
It brings healing to the nations of the earth.
Everyone will live where the river flows.
Living Water quench this thirsting in my soul.

(Come, as a Mighty River)

Resting in the Rain

Ps 68:8-10
The earth shook;
The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;
Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
You, O God, sent a plentiful rain,
Whereby You confirmed Your inheritance,
When it was weary. Your congregation dwelt in it;
You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor.
NKJV

The presence of the Lord came with the rain. So powerful that the earth shook and the mountain moved; yet it was also strengthening, confirming, and comforting. The rain was not limited, but abundant. God reminds His people of their Source, their Provision, and their Rest. We need to live in His presence. He has everything we need. He is good.

Saturate me with Your anointing.
Saturate me with Your presence.
I want to have more of Your anointing
In my life.
Saturate me, O Lord, today.