“Children of Zion, celebrate! Be glad in your God. He‘s giving you a teacher to train you how to live right—Teaching, like rain out of heaven, showers of words to refresh and nourish your soul, just as he used to do.” Joel 2:23 (Message)
Hot it was that day, and the approaching thunderstorm made it even worse with the humidity and temperature both escalating. I still have the photograph somewhere of my friend Ritchie coming in from the southern Oregon hayfield, hands up in the air, grinning from ear to ear. The late afternoon sunlight made his face glow against the almost-black clouds behind him. He was smiling because he knew what was coming – rain! Cool, refreshing, drenching, drought-busting rain. The accompanying lightning and thunder would be just an entertaining lightshow to emphasize the jubilation over finally having saving rain.
The ancient prophet Joel forecast the coming of a torrential downpour of God’s grace and power. A prophecy of dreams and visions, of signs and wonders, of God revealing Himself to His people once again as He had so often done in the past. (see Joel 2:28-30). We’ve been in a drought too long. We’ve been going through the motions of religious belief while we remain parched for the draughts of spiritual faith that could open up Heaven to our dry and thirsty souls.
But it looks like rain! Joel was right, God has given us showers of His words – the Word – to refresh and nourish our souls. So put a smile on, dance a little jig, raise your hands to the heavens – it’s going to be pouring mercy, showering grace, raining righteousness. Are you ready to get wet?
T.B.
Think about it: When was the last time you felt renewed by God’s grace?
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