Showers of Blessings

 Leviticus 26:3-4(ESV): "3“If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, 4then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.”
     It has been raining intermittently here in Georgia for a few days and it reminds me of the lyric line of the song Rainy Night in Georgia which says that “it feels like it is raining all over the world”. In essence, the continual, gloomy times we are having here makes it hard to believe that there is fair or even sunny weather anywhere else. In our Christian walk, when we are bombarded with ‘rainy’ days, dismal forecasts and gloomy outcomes, we must not be burdened to believe that these melancholy times are going to last indefinitely or that there isn’t hope somewhere. Our situations may not be that cheery for the moment, but we must not let our own misgivings or the influence of the evil one convince us that things will not get better. If we do, anxiety and potential depression are right around the corner.
     No one can doubt that the past few months have demonstrated how weather, climate, environment…whatever you want to call it…is not a respecter of what we hope, think or plan. Many travels have been interrupted or cancelled; many events have been postponed or terminated; many companies have lost business and the list goes on. We can look at the downside to weather related calamities all day, but remember there is a silver lining in each cloud and that the rains bring showers of blessings.
     God promises to provide for those who obey him and walk in his statues. These provisions come in many fashions and the rainy times in our lives are merely conduction pathways for some of the blessings that God is bestowing upon us. Flood waters may seem haphazard to some, but to the fisherman whose favorite catching spot is experiencing drought; this could save this business. Cloud filled skies block the drying rays of the sun and poorly draining streets can wreak havoc with traffic but these so called issues give evidence to small nuisance problems that can be corrected before sink-hole sized disasters surface.
     God provides the rain to quench our dry areas and he permits heavy downpours to give us opportunities to see the glory of his blessings. Take a few moments today to thank God for the rainstorms in your life. They have made you who you are and they are crafting you into the masterpiece God wants you to be.
     Every day is a good day it is up to us to make it a GREAT day. Be blessed! Rev. Dr. JoAnn