“But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;” Deuteronomy 11:11-16My desire this year is for my soul to attract frequent clouds and in the refreshing showers that the blessings of God would especially rest upon the soil of my life. I want those blessings and I need those blessings!
Being transparent is being real about our relationship with God and the secret sins in our lives that keep us in bondage.
As I consider the rain of my own trials over a period of five-years, I acknowledge it has been a most necessary component to preparing the soil of my heart to receive the seeds of God’s truth.
The rising waters in our lives must come; they appear precisely from the hand of God and are governed by His knowledge and wisdom for each of our lives.
Just when I think the sun is shining on my muddy life – it rains! Do you ever feel like your life is headed in the right direction only to find you’ve slid back down to where you came? You are dealing with the same hurts and disappointments, the same weaknesses, the same besetting sins, and moving onto higher ground is dream-able but seemingly unachievable.
Look for a rainbow – your storm will crystallize!
God wants us to know Him. Maintaining my relationship with God is a plywood-principle for me. The glue that keeps my soul together is God’s living, transforming Word.
God is always the same but I’m not! The land “whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:” - Disciplining ourselves to go and possess God’s wisdom and knowledge through the daily reading and studying of His Word is a choice we must all make. Regardless of how you maintain your relationship with God, the land is there and God’s promises never change.
Every time we make a choice to put other things before our relationship with God, we forfeit God’s best for our lives and His rain of blessings. I want that land – I need to walk on fertile ground daily!
I am studying Deuteronomy and when I read these verses my soul longed for what God offered to those who are…”to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,”
God is all knowledge and as I study His illustrations I am the beneficiary of His wisdom. As I read these verses I decided to become a storm student. Why would God use two-fold rain? “That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain …” And so I considered the rain-patterns in the context of these verses:
First rain and the latter rain--The early rain commenced in autumn, that is, chiefly during the months of September and October, while the latter rain fell in the spring of the year, that is, during the months of March and April. It is true that occasional showers fell all the winter; but, at the autumnal and spring seasons they were more frequent, copious, and important. The early rain was necessary after a hot and protracted summer to prepare the soil for receiving the seed; and the latter rain which shortly preceded the harvest, was of the greatest use in invigorating the languishing powers of vegetation.
The rain in our lives can be consuming but it is all “Father-Filtered.” He chooses our trials and plans them seasonally; the heavy-storms, the first rain, the latter rain; the gathering, and plentiful provision – all prepared, planned, and perfected by our Creator. We are in His hands!
After much prayer, my resolve for 2010 is to get to know God a whole lot more as I continue to study His Word and increase my prayer life. For too long my focus has been on a rescue plan.
As I look to this year I am learning to look through God’s eyes of grace and wisdom – “the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. And it shall come to pass…”
He has me exactly where He wants me. I have abandoned my rescue mission and replaced it with seeking the grace to go on regardless of the storms that may come my way.
It’s a privilege to be in a position of want. God counts me worthy to see His miracles big and small and to continually be correcting and perfecting my ways.
If you’ve never felt that deep desire to seek God with all your heart, then I would ask God to bring you to this place. Be prepared for battle – He will use whatever it takes for you to need Him.
Seeking God with all our heart is what He wants the most and what we do the least of.
To have goals is a Biblical principle. Don't make them unachievable…but start with something and “to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul…” is a start we must all make in our personal relationship with God.
From the time you accepted Christ as your personal Saviour did you begin building your relationship with Him? Are you closer to God now than you were a year ago, a decade ago, a day ago? Does His Word frequently roll off your tongue? Do you share His love and His plan to those who are lost and without hope? Does your life mirror His ways or perhaps your conduct is such as to show that you have no real acquaintance with him?
If we are no closer to the Saviour than when we were first saved, the Bible describes us as disobedient and void of judgment – “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Titus 1:16
I would encourage you to get to know God more in 2010. Establish a daily Bible reading and Prayer schedule. This is the hub of our lives. Center everything on this principle and you will have a whole lot more balance and blessings.
Our lives mirror our relationship with God – it’s as simple as that!
I love you and I believe in you,
Deborah
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