“If you’ve been praying for rain, today would be a good day to gather with God’s people and thank Him.”
So posted one of my pastor friends on Facebook early Sunday morning.
Thank You, Lord, for much needed rain!
Some of us are saying that here and in other places that have gotten a respite recently from extended drought conditions.
Some people elsewhere have prayed for it to stop. I’m thinking of places like Kentucky that experienced devastating flooding conditions within the past few weeks.
The relationship between God and weather is mysterious at best.
Jesus said, in Matthew 5:45,
“He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
So, if you just read that part of the verse, it sounds like God controls the rain.
It also sounds like God doesn’t differentiate between people who “deserve” rain and people who don’t.
As I have been cleaning up wet floors this afternoon where water seeped into two rooms of my house due to the pace of the rain, I’ve come to a conclusion.
He not only sends his rain on the righteous and the unrighteous, He also sends it on the prepared and the unprepared!
I don’t understand how rain works. Neither do meteorologists.
If they did, their forecasts would be 100% accurate. As it is, every forecast is a really well-educated guess.
Here’s what I do know: There is no formula of prayer that causes God to answer with rain.
Here’s something else I know: In Matthew 5, Jesus wasn’t teaching us about how God controls the weather.
Here’s another look at the context of Matthew 5:45.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
Jesus was indeed talking about prayer but it wasn’t prayer to affect the weather. It wasn’t about what we pray for, but who we’re willing to pray for and the motivation behind our prayers.
I’m not at all suggesting that we shouldn’t pray for rain.
I’m suggesting that, if we’re going to pray for rain but we’re not willing to pray for God’s blessing on those we consider “enemies” or “opponents” or even “persecutors”—and do so with their best interests in our hearts—our spiritual drought may be worse than the physical one.
My prayer for all of us is that our hearts are not drying up and withering due to the way we consider those with whom we disagree—those we see as less deserving of God’s blessings than we are.
If you’ve been praying for rain, but not that your heart would be refreshed and softened to the needs of the world, would you at least consider it?
Be amazing today, my friend.
