January
11
Gen
33 - 36
PROVOKING
RAIN
MEMORISE:
‘Cast thy bread upon the water: for thou shalt find it after
many days.’ (Eccles 11:1)
READ: Ecclesiastes 11:1-6
God
has given us power to control and determine events, both in our
lives and around us. The problem with many of us is that we want
things done for us: even when we know what to do. Many of us desire
the rain of God’s blessings, but fail to provoke the rain.
How then shall it pour? Let us take a cue from the earth. The
earth is very wise. It desires to be watered constantly so that
it can nurture all the trees, plants and others on it. How does
it achieve this?
The
earth waits for God to release the first rains. Knowing that for
the rain to continue, there must be a process of cloud gathering,
the earth releases part of that first rain through the process
of evaporation to the clouds. And when the clouds are heavy, they
break forth as rain upon the earth once again. So the earth saves
and uses some rain and sacrifices some up the clouds again in
preparation for more.
The
period between the clouds gathering and rainfall is usually a
period of dryness for the earth. All the plants and trees cry,
‘Oh mother earth! We are dry and thirsty! We lack sufficient
moisture! Help us!’ To this, the earth replies, ‘Oh
my children! If you don’t sow, you cannot reap! We had to
make this sacrifice so we can continue to have rain. Be patient!
The clouds will soon be full and will burst forth as rain! O,
hear the earth. Thank God for your source of livelihood!
Please note that if you want to enjoy God’s exponential
blessings you must be prepared to sow sacrificially into
the Kingdom. But you say: I have sown again and again without
any positive results! It takes several sowings to sufficiently
load your clouds until they are full and break forth as showers
of blessings. Hence verse 6 of our text tells you to continue
to sow until you reap. Remember, you can determine how fast your
rains will come. Start sacrificial and continuous sowing today.
But also ensure you are not living in sin while you sow. And sooner
or later your clouds will break forth upon you.
ACTION
POINT
Sow the type of seed you have never sown before, to provoke
your rain.
Ask God to usher his blessings into the church worldwide. |