Seems like not a day (or even a few hours) goes by without someone commenting on how hot it is or how little rain we have had. My friend Todd emailed me some thoughts on the drought. He gave me permission to share those thoughts here:
Yesterday, during our bible study there was a request to pray for rain due to the drought we are experiencing in Texas and in other parts of the country. Interestingly enough, I was reading Jeremiah last night and came across a passage in Jeremiah 3:1-5 where God withheld the rain because of Israel’s spiritual harlotry which consisted of every sort of sin from idolatry to sexual immorality, etc.. These were the consequences of retributive judgment that the Lord had set into place many years before when God, through Moses said what He would do if His people broke His commandments. In Leviticus 26: 19, the Lord said, if you do not obey my commandments, “I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. ” If there is one thing about the Lord that we can be sure of, whether for good or judgment, God keeps His promises. He said what would happen if they disobeyed and sure enough, He brought judgment.
Well, I know you already know where this is leading. That’s right. We are a nation that has ripened for God’s judgment. Can you imagine the natural disasters that we have seen in this land recently. Storms, flooding, out of control fires, earth quakes, tornados, hurricanes, drought. The list goes on. I believe we are seeing God’s judgment on a nation that has for the most part turned away from God and His word. Look at how we have progressed from a nation that at one time for the most part feared the Lord. Started by a band of weary Immigrants; but they had one thing in common. They feared and sought the God of the bible. The nation’s foundation & constitution was written by men who feared the Lord. Most of the signers and framers were people who knew Christ and were dedicated to Him and His word. So what has happened? Well, just as every society has a tendency to do, this nation has become corrupted and perverse. This is one thing you can be sure about mankind; if you give him any length of time, without the Lord, he will become more and more perverted. We have also, like the Israelites before us, fraternized and adopted the Godless practices of the nations and cultures around the world. In the name of tolerance and pluralism, this nation has become a spiritual harlot, just as Israel had in the days of old. However, to acquiesce to spiritual adultery is man’s natural inclination and Sin is the culprit. Jeremiah 17:9,10 “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it? I the Lord search the search the heart, I test the mind.”
Notice the progression. We have gone from a nation that once feared God, to a nation that began to deviate from the truth, to a nation that has become perverted. But I believe the capstone in this progression is when a nation’s government has gotten to a place where it
promotes and condones sin. We make laws that protect sinful behavior. If you’ve ever wondered if God’s word is timeless, see how something that was written in the word about 3000 years ago fits what we are experiencing today. Psalms 94:20 ” Shall the throne of iniquity which devises evil by law have fellowship with you? They gather together against the life of the righteous and condemn innocent blood.”So what’s the answer? In a word, Jesus!!, Prayer!! People need to know Jesus because He is the only one who can change the human heart.
We can also pray as our Christian predecessors before us and ask God to forgive our sins and the sins of our nation. When you read the prayers of the saints of old, you will notice that they always included themselves amongst those who did not know the Lord when asking for
forgiveness and pleading for God’s mercy. I have left a few passages for examples. See: 2nd Chronicles 6:36-42, Isaiah 6:5, Nehemiah 1:4-11, Daniel 9: 15-19, and so on. On that note, please join with me in praying for God to forgive our sins and the sins of our nation.“O’ Lord please have mercy upon us for we have sinned and have acted wickedly against you. Please forgive us Lord for sinning against you. Have Mercy on us O’ Lord . We pray that this nation would turn from its wicked ways. We pray that those who do not know You would repent. Rain down Your Holy Spirit Lord. Most importantly, may we turn back to You again so
that our souls may be watered and because of your great mercy can you water our parched land also.
Will you join us as we pray for our nation? Our First Thursday National Day of Prayer as part of the Pray, Learn, Go is an excellent way to get involved!
