Day 21 - Rain on us

Why should we pray for rain and a change in our climate?
Rain signifies the following:
1. Dependence on God: Rain signifies humanity’s reliance on God for life and sustenance.
In 1st Kings 8:35-36 Solomon prays for God's forgiveness and provision during times of drought caused by sin, asking that God would send rain when His people repent and turn back to Him.
"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 give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants."
2. Obedience and Repentance: Rain often comes as a result of faithfulness to God or repentance from sin. Deuteronomy 11:13-14 "So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul—then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine, and olive oil."
3. Faith and Perseverance: Persistent prayer, as modeled by Elijah, brings results.
After a prolonged drought in Israel, Elijah prays earnestly for rain. He persists in prayer, sending his servant to look for signs of rain until a small cloud appears, leading to a heavy downpour. This story emphasizes faith and perseverance in prayer.
Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” (1 Kings 18:41)
4. God’s Blessing: Rain is a tangible symbol of God’s provision and care. Job 5:10 "He provides rain for the earth; he sends water on the countryside."
According to the Bible, before sin entered the world, God watered the earth in a way that did not rely on rain as we know it today. This concept is described in Genesis 2:5-6:
"before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; 6 but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground."
In the New Testament (James 5:17-18), James uses Elijah’s prayer for rain as an example of the power of righteous prayer affecting God’s conditional will.
“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” (NKJV)
All of these examples clearly show that God is able to change our climate, bring rain and return the natural four seasons to the earth if we earnestly turn away from our sins, and show our faith and reliance on Him through prayer and fasting.
Lord, rain on us! Amen.
A song of praise:
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