God and the Drought

Two facts:

1.  California is in an unprecedented drought. (This story does a better job explaining the crisis than I can. http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/09/02/california-megadrought/14446195/)

2.   God controls the weather. He has used droughts throughout history for various reasons. The most common use of drought, as we read in scripture, was for the Lord to bring about His judgment and awaken to Himself those afflicted. (Deuteronomy 11:16-17; Isaiah 19:5-7; Jeremiah 14:1-6; Hosea 2:8-23; Amos 4:6-8). In the future He will also use droughts as a vessel of His judgments (Matthew 24:7; Revelations 6:8). There are a few times has He used it to move His people for His greater purposes. (Genesis 12, 41; Ruth 1). And in one another instance, we just don’t know. (Acts 11:28).

Interpretation of what God is doing?

Here are the possibilities:

1.     It is just the rhythm of His creation.

2.     It's a natural outcome of our polluting the environment. 

3.     We are sinning to the point of God waking us up to Him.

4.     God is working among us for His greater purposes.

Whatever the cause, we humbly pray, asking God for how we are to respond and for the abundant provision of rain.

Ultimately He is the one is control, not us. To sit around and act as if He is oblivious to our situation or to just say, “Oh well, rain will come eventually” is a bit irresponsible. We have to someway see that His hand is in this and needed. Our response is to go to Him for both the cause and the cure. What we can learn from scripture is how the Lord expected King Solomon to respond during those desperate times. (I know. I know! It's a promise for Israel. But the same principle of dependence as well as sin and repentance applies to us today.)

"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, and when they pray toward this place and confess Your name and turn from their sin because You have afflicted them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land You gave Your people for an inheritance." I Kings 8:35-36.

In The New Testament James tells us of the power of confession and prayer as well.  

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.”  James 5:16–18  

May the drought act as a reminder for our need to turn from our actions against Him and to wholly depend on Him for all things. Pray for rain!

For those living outside California, send up some prayers for us and remember, “He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:45