June 11,2012. 17 days. 2 weeks 3 day. That is how long it has been since we have had any measureable rainfall. And according to the weather forecast we don't expect to see even a sprinkle for at least another week. My husband is not happy about this at all. He is not a farmer but he is a country boy that loves the outdoors |  |
Each year in the spring he jumps on his tractor, tills up the ground and plants 3 fields of corn mainly for the wildlife. As it grows he takes pictures of its development to show other farmers and hunters. He is like a proud papa with a newborn baby to show off. Sunday we got home from church he said that he wanted to go out to the fields to see how much the lack of rain had hurt them. After inspecting the first field he came back to the house and told me that most of those stalks were burnt up from the heat. He was discouraged that all his effort was seemingly going to waste. He wasn't sure he even wanted to ride over to the other fields. He didn't want to know how bad they were. Later that afternoon when I was leaving to head back to church he decided that there was no use putting it off any longer. So he went off into the woods on his 4 wheeler.
That night at church my dear friend Kim Dunn was leading the worship service and one of the songs she sang made I think back to mine and Mike's discussion about how the corn fields need the rain in order to grow and produce.
"Lord send the rain, Pour out your Spirit.
Let the fire fall, heal us one and all. Fall fresh on me"
God used these words to show me how much I am just like Mike's corn stalks. Without water, the living water, to quinch my thirsty soul I, too, will not grow. The heat and the pressure of life will cause me to burn out and wither away.
When I return from church Mike's mood was lifted because when he went to check on field # 2 and 3 he found that the corn there was thriving and most stalks already had several ears of corn on them. What was the difference between the first field and the other two? The field with the withered plants is in an opened area. It has no shade and the only source of water is natually from the rain. However, the other fields are actually back in the forest where an area had been cleared specifically for the corn. Both area in low areas that will get any water run off from the hills around whenever it does finally rain. But the biggest difference is that the natual spring creek that runs close to both.
In John 7:38 Jesus tells us, "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." So again I am like a stalk of corn. In order for my faith to grow and flurish I must remain close to "the flow rivers of living water." Jesus is the living water (John 4).
What do you do that keeps you by the river? Are you spending time sitting and allowing the "rain" pour freash on you everyday ?
No comments:
Post a Comment