Great Is Your Faithfulnessનમૂનો

Faithful to Refresh

On occasion, in the thick of a hot, extra humid summer of Oklahoma, we get just a little giddy when we see rain in the forecast. I remember one particular summer where days featuring triple-digit temps seemed to be stacking up like unwanted bills. And then one day, the clouds rolled in and rain began to pour down. Not just a light sprinkle, but, as my cowboy husband is known to say, "a gullywasher".

Our daughters said, “Mom, we’ve never seen you so excited about… rain.”

Perhaps it was just the thrill of knowing that I would be off the hook in the watering-of-the-lawn-and-plants obligations that fall to me when my husband is out of town. And perhaps it was partly because we saw multiple days in the forecast featuring more triple-digit temps just ahead. And then again, maybe it was just because rain in an Oklahoma July is always a great sign of God’s merciful provision to us.

That night, I lathered my face with suds, washing away the wear and tear of the day, and began to think about the rain’s parallel to the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit. Lately I find myself craving the rain of His presence often, almost hourly. And I’m craving it all the more because I find myself in need of it. You know how you’ll go through a season where you are nearly drowning in His presence? It’s almost an overwhelming love fest, just you and Him, everywhere you go? And then there are pockets of life where, despite your search for Him, you know He’s there, but you just can’t feel that gentle embrace for which you are almost salivating. Or maybe, in response to the lack of sensing that drenching, you back away, almost frustrated in the quest.

It is through this mental image of rain that I find myself saying to my Father, “Lord, grant me the rain now as I have weathered the days when I am flat-out parched. Give me more of Your presence to sustain me in the predictable dry places just ahead.”

Today another downpour arrived in Tulsa and just the sound of it left me wrestling between the desire to cozy up beneath a throw, a steaming cup of hot tea in hand, or gently pace on the back patio, allowing the precipitation to soak every inch of me. The psalmist David wrote about this very craving in Psalm 143:

I lift my hands to You in prayer.

I thirst for You as parched land thirsts for rain. (Psalm 143:6 NLT)

Just like I wrestled with the hiding or the soaking, my spirit often wrestles. Do I back up, knowing what I know about Him and trusting His hand to guide me through the dry places? Or do I keep climbing back into my prayer closet, double-daring His Spirit to bring along a flash flood?

Like David, require yourself to pray, "Lord, I thirst for You as parched land thirsts for rain." Friends, dry days are in the forecast. We have yet to arrive to the New Heaven where the river of God runs freely and fully. Therefore, our hearts must pant for still waters, longing for His presence and being willing to wait for it to be fully manifested. And guess what? When you call on Him, God is faithful to refresh His people by His Spirit. In fact, He's sitting on the edge of His seat, bucket in hand, eager to drench You in His presence.

In a storm? In a dry spot?

Seek after and soak up the rain. Find shelter under His wings. And take refuge in the Spirit’s care as He delights to shower us with all that we need and so much more.

Dig a Little Deeper

You and I cannot afford to solely look for this drenching of His presence when we are gathered with a body of believers a few times each week. Because of the work of Christ, we have unhindered access to the Throne of God! If you aren't accustomed to spending time in prayer and personal worship without someone else leading you through it, start small. Set a time on your calendar this week. Explain what you're doing to your family, if need be, in order to get 10-15 minutes of alone time. Find a private space in your home, or step outside in nature, and call on God. Ask for His refreshing that comes from your loving on Him, and His loving on you.