The umbrella was created around 1000 B.C. designed to shield us from the elements of the earth and sky. There’s something about rain that just ruins our day. Beach festivities are cancelled, outdoor parties are postponed, and somehow it effects whether or not we have a good day. Why has rain been given so much power over what we do when it’s just water? We scurry when the skies open up and a downpour threatens our hairdos and outfits but, in the spiritual realm rain means blessing. Our lives are watered by word of God, rain symbolizes the harvest that is to come, and without water nothing can be cleansed. In the dry seasons of our lives, we must be encouraged…it’s gonna rain!
“Then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit. Leviticus 26:4
The writers of the Good Book often used earthly symbols to get the readers to understand the relevance of God’s message. Crops, seasons, and harvests all needed rain, what we consider an inconvenience today meant the saving grace for food and nourishment back then. It’s hard for farmers and growers to produce the gifts from the earth without rain and it’s the same for our walks with God. Cloudy and rainy days have a bad reputation in our eyes but those are the times that God is watering us for what’s next.
Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. James 5:7
Imagine the seeds in the ground thirsty for the respite of a cool rain after a season of brutal heat from a relentless sun. Our souls thirst for God in that way and He is true to quench us and provide the rain that will help us grow and receive a harvest. Our bodies are mostly water, 70% of the earth is covered by it, and every year there’s a whole season of rain in order to guarantee the fruitfulness of Spring. There’s even the submergence of water we all must endure to display our own burial and resurrection with Christ in baptism.
“Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.Acts 14:17
Rain signifies harvest and the best way to describe the outpouring of God’s presence and power in our lives. It’s a beautiful thought when we can wrap our minds around it. The heavens open as if curtains being drawn from a window, there’s a flourish of thunder to announce what’s about to happen, and the blessings of God fall endlessly over God’s people. When it rains, and we miss the sun, unsure when we will see it again, it’s the promise of a harvest we didn’t know we needed. We can trust that God designates every drop to water the seeds of our faith and within our hearts. No matter how dry the season, or how long the rainy season God gets the glory!