Reviving Rain

A soft rain was falling as I stepped out onto the screened porch for a few minutes of quiet reflection on the day. There was not a visible sunset for the day had been cloudy and gray. The pond was still and the only sound I heard were the spring peepers, even though spring is still a few weeks away. I watched as the raindrops hit the surface of the water and made little circlets that grew ever wider until they dissipated. Most often rain brings groans of disappointment, we would rather have sunshine! We enjoy the sun, but we must also have rain.

God knows what we need and when we need it as we see in Leviticus 26:4, “Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.” Even though He knows and is in control of the rain, we show obedience when we go to God in prayer for rain when the earth is dry. Zechariah 10:1 says, “Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.”

Rain replenishes, restores and rejuvenates the earth. When we come to Christ, He rains on our hearts in much the same way to restore us, to replenish hope within us and to rejuvenate our spirits. Without Christ, we are not unlike the dry, cracked earth before the rain.

A perfect example of restoration, rejuvenation and replenishing is found in Psalms 23:1-3, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

How might we find restoration? There is a word on this that comes from Acts 3:19, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” This verse addresses the people of Israel but we can make a personal application just as easily.

Christ is waiting and is ready to bring the replenishing rains of restoration and rejuvenation to your heart.

Will you let the Shepherd of Psalms 23 become the Shepherd of your life?