Rain In Its Season

Rain in Its Season

Today’s Scripture Selection: Leviticus 26:3

“If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rains in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit. Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.”

After carefully setting forth all the ways the Israelites were to be a holy people before God, God reminded them of a promise.

The promise was if they followed His decrees and were careful to follow His commands – they would be blessed.  He then warned them that if they did not, well, you can imagine what would happen.

Such “promises” from God make a lot of people uncomfortable.

It is a lot more reassuring to think that God just promises blessing – no matter what – but, scripture doesn’t say that.

I don’t think it is so much that God is like a great blessing or curse dispenser in the sky, that rains down choice A or choice B depending on which lever we push.

Rather, it is that there are simply very real consequences of the life choices we make.

Following God is the way to find abundant life.  Turning from God is the way to find depravation and hardship.

Does it mean that faithful people never suffer?  No, it is not that simple either.  In fact, scripture makes it clear that the “rain” falls on the righteous and unrighteous alike.

So what does it mean?

Again, I think it is simply saying that facing life challenges the way God instructs is the way to ultimate blessing.  It may not always come as we expect – but one day – we will find it.

So be careful, not as in “be full of care,” but as in walking carefully.  Seek God’s will and follow His direction.

Life may not always be easy but it will be providentially blessed – just as God has promised.    Our lives will be somehow nourished and fruitful – just like land that has received much needed rain – all in due time.