Preparing for Rain

Last night I sat at a volleyball game and noticed it looked dark outside even though when I glanced at my watch I noticed it was only 6:00 p.m. Tanner, Tucker, Turner, and I left not long afterward for Turner's football practice. When we walked outside the gym I could see the skies darkening and flashes of lightening.

When Turner and I drove to his practice more lightening lit up the sky. I had my doubts practice would be held and sure enough we cancelled it. We drove back home before the rain fell but I began making prepartaions. I had Taylor move his truck from being parked another a tree. We let the dog out one last time before the rain fell. We buttoned down the hatches.

For the longest time we just received a lot of lightening and thunder. Then the winds picked up knocking several limbs to the ground. The rain started falling and then fell harder and harder. I went out in the garage pulling up a chair watching the rain fall. This is not a sight we have seen much of lately. The mowing business had all but come to a grinding halt.

For years I have enjoyed pulling a chair outside in the garage and watching rain fall. I do not know why my fascination with this but it is a habit. I praise God for farmers and ranchers getting blessed with the rain. I thank God for how rain revives the land. I thank God I will soon be busy atop the John Deere cutting grass all over Wise County. I thanked God not just for the rain falling but the gentle soaking rain that fell all night long.

I woke up at 2:30 a.m. to more lightening and thunder. I got up and sat in my recliner so I could listen to it rain. The rain continued to fall until around daybreak while I drifted to sleep. I think of all the farmers who sowed seed in anticipation of rain. There have been many days when it seemed like it would never rain. I thanked God for people I know in the hay business and farming businesses.

I bought a mower on faith preparing for rain so the grass would grow back in the spring. I have been amazed how God has opened doors for us to mow despite the drought conditions. Every week or two weeks some job has come up. Some of them have been one time jobs. Some have been more permanent. The boys and I have stayed busy.

Now with this rain and the possibility of more on Friday I should be busy for a long time. By purchasing that mower I prepared for rain. I readied myself when the grass would grow and people would be in need for help. God worked a couple of financial miracles so we get a mower and trailer. To be honest their were times when I wondered if I had done the right thing. At the time I felt God's direction. Yet in June and July when the rains quit coming and the grass quit growing I wondered if I had done the right thing.

I have peace I did. The boys and I worked together all summer long. Taylor and Tanner have continued to help me even while they have been in the middle of two a days for football. They have all gained an appreciation for hard work and getting rewarded for their labors. I am thankful for time spent with them. We have sweat together. Tackled hard jobs together. We have tried to our best work together. We have known the satisfaction of a job well done together.

We prepared for rain. All this is to make this point. In your life it might not look like God is doing anything. All you may feel is the oppressive heat of your circumstances and see the cracked ground of your heart and faith in drought like conditions. I assure you God is at work.

It has been over a year since I put my house up for sale in Seminole. Nothing has changed other than we have someone leasing it. I am preparing for rain. I check the houses for sale in Paradise often. I pray about this situation. I prepare for rain. I know any day the rain could come.

Faith Community Church is small by many church standards but I am preparing for rain. I am already looking down the road. I know soon we will need to purchase more chairs. In the not too distant future as we continue to grow we might have to add another worship service. At some point we will purchase land. I drove by a piece of land this morning and asked the Lord is that was the piece of property for us. All this preparing for the rain of growth in attendance and more influence in this community.

Preparing for rain is an intentional act of faith. For two months rain did not come. When it did come last night it would have been too late to prepare the fields to receive at that hour. Those preparations had to be made months ago. I prepared for rain the first time I stood to preach to the people of Faith Community in that daycare. We prepared for rain by moving our services to the school facilities. We prepared for rain as we leased our current facilities.

We must live preparing for rain in our lives. That will look different for each of us. At Faith Community Church I am living and preparing for rain months, years, and even decades down the road. When God chooses to send the blessings I want to be ready. You must live with the continual anticipation God will the rain of his blessings in your life.

Lord, thank you for the rain last night. I never want to take that for granted. I lift up my brothers in west Texas who depend on you to send life giving moisture to their land for their crops. I ask you to break open the skies and let the gentle soaking rain come. You are faithful. I ask you to relieve their stress and give them the perfect peace of your trust. For others you are calling to make advanced preparations for something will do in the future, I ask you to strengthen their faith for the journey. I ask you to help them follow through in faith regardless of what they see. I ask you to bring all this to pass. Lord, help us prepare for rain.