Isa 30:23
Then He will give the rain for your seed
With which you sow the ground,
And bread of the increase of the earth;
It will be fat and plentiful.
In that day your cattle will feed in large pastures.
NKJV
This is a wonderful promise given to the children of God. It comes after a time of heartache and struggle, captivity and affliction. In the verses prior to this one, the Lord gives a beautiful entreaty of love. He “longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion,” and “blessed are all who wait for Him.”
When we think hope is gone; we feel rejected and useless, empty and lonely. The Lord extends His hope. He wants to help you more than you want to be helped. “Weep no more. . . .when you cry for help . . . He will answer you.” And then, He will send the rain. Rain that causes everything you sow to prosper, His presence filling and blessing your life.
His love is like a rolling river, a clear and cool retreat,
Flowing on in calm and beauty, Gentle ever sweet.
His love is like an April shower, with a steady beat,
Sprinkling drops of joy and beauty, Gentle ever sweet.
His love is like a wind that’s whispering softly through the wheat,
Scattering the seeds of beauty, Gentle, ever sweet.
(Gentle Ever Sweet, Stephen R. Adams)
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
No Rain for the Vineyard
Isa 5:6-7
"I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug,
But there shall come up briers and thorns.
I will also command the clouds
That they rain no rain on it."
For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel,
And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant.
He looked for justice, but behold, oppression;
For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.
NKJV
The setting of these verses is a time when the nation of Israel had turned away from God. They were no longer honoring His Law or observing His Commandments. Oppression, and chaos were everywhere. Their leaders were immature, foolish, and corrupt. The prophet writes a metaphor of this with God singing to Israel as the Beloved to His vineyard. It is a beautiful picture of God’s love and care. But even with all the careful sowing, tilling, planting, pruning and watering, the vineyard produced wild grapes instead of good, sweet ones. He grieves and mourns the loss of the vineyard. In spite of everything He did, the vineyard failed. Now He must withdraw His hand, and let it go. Even the rain is commanded not to fall on it.
Ultimately, God provides everything we need to thrive. Whether or not we use those things wisely, is up to us. He does not force us, He wants us to chose the Right. If we do not, then He will simply step back and leave us to our own devices.
I thirsted in the barren land of sin and shame,
But nothing satisfying there I found.
Unto the blessed cross of Christ one day I came
Where springs of living water did abound.
(Springs of Living Water)
"I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug,
But there shall come up briers and thorns.
I will also command the clouds
That they rain no rain on it."
For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel,
And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant.
He looked for justice, but behold, oppression;
For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.
NKJV
The setting of these verses is a time when the nation of Israel had turned away from God. They were no longer honoring His Law or observing His Commandments. Oppression, and chaos were everywhere. Their leaders were immature, foolish, and corrupt. The prophet writes a metaphor of this with God singing to Israel as the Beloved to His vineyard. It is a beautiful picture of God’s love and care. But even with all the careful sowing, tilling, planting, pruning and watering, the vineyard produced wild grapes instead of good, sweet ones. He grieves and mourns the loss of the vineyard. In spite of everything He did, the vineyard failed. Now He must withdraw His hand, and let it go. Even the rain is commanded not to fall on it.
Ultimately, God provides everything we need to thrive. Whether or not we use those things wisely, is up to us. He does not force us, He wants us to chose the Right. If we do not, then He will simply step back and leave us to our own devices.
I thirsted in the barren land of sin and shame,
But nothing satisfying there I found.
Unto the blessed cross of Christ one day I came
Where springs of living water did abound.
(Springs of Living Water)
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Favor, Like Rain
Prov 16:15-16
In the light of the king's face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud of the latter rain.
How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
NKJV
We are experiencing extreme drought across the southeastern United States right now. Major cities are within weeks, if not days, of running out of water completely. Others are limiting water usage to inside only with severe penalties for those who dare to water their yards or plants.
How many times in Scripture do we read about scarcity of rain? Sometimes it was a judgment, other times it was just a circumstance of life, but it usually brought famine and a major shift in population as people sought out water and a place to grow crops. Rain is a necessary and vital part of life.
When the King of Kings smiles on you, when He is pleased with you, it is as refreshing and life-giving as the latter rain—the wonderful showers that come after a long hot summer and refill the streams, lakes and rivers. Let His pleasure soak into your spirit like that rain soaks the dry, dusty ground. His favor is life.
Rain down Your favor on us.
Lavish Your love upon us.
Pour out Your presence on us.
Let me taste Your mercy in the rain.
(Wash Over Me, Jami Smith and Janet Hubbell)
In the light of the king's face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud of the latter rain.
How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
NKJV
We are experiencing extreme drought across the southeastern United States right now. Major cities are within weeks, if not days, of running out of water completely. Others are limiting water usage to inside only with severe penalties for those who dare to water their yards or plants.
How many times in Scripture do we read about scarcity of rain? Sometimes it was a judgment, other times it was just a circumstance of life, but it usually brought famine and a major shift in population as people sought out water and a place to grow crops. Rain is a necessary and vital part of life.
When the King of Kings smiles on you, when He is pleased with you, it is as refreshing and life-giving as the latter rain—the wonderful showers that come after a long hot summer and refill the streams, lakes and rivers. Let His pleasure soak into your spirit like that rain soaks the dry, dusty ground. His favor is life.
Rain down Your favor on us.
Lavish Your love upon us.
Pour out Your presence on us.
Let me taste Your mercy in the rain.
(Wash Over Me, Jami Smith and Janet Hubbell)
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