The Rain

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.
Deuteronomy 32:2 NIV

When I was a girl I wrote a paper about the cycle of water on the earth and how it benefits the plants and ecosystem as a whole. Rain falls, is absorbed by plants, is consumed by animals, flows down rivers to the oceans, evaporates, condenses in the clouds, and falls again.

As an adult I learned about the nurturing of spiritual “plants” – young believers. Just like regular seedlings, spiritual babies need water – living water.

 

How do spiritual “plants” get this living water?

• Scripture
• Sermons
• Love and tenderness from other believers

Have you ever been in the checkout line in the grocery store behind a young woman and her small child? It can get pretty ugly, can’t it? Have you ever distracted the child while mom took care of the task at hand? If so, that’s pretty nice. But is that all that it is? When she thanks you for helping her out, do you put any words to your actions? Here’s something you could say. “You’re very welcome. God bless you all today. I’ll be praying for you and your family.”

Now that is sprinkling living water on little plants as you go along your way.
But don’t forget to pray as you promised that you would.

If we sprinkle living water on those around us as we go through our lives, we are helping provide the rain for little seedlings. At some point, when they are ready to harvest, they will accept Christ into their lives. And your act of love and tenderness combined with a few simple words will have helped them reach eternal life.

LORD, thank you for providing our earth with the nourishing rain that it needs. And thank you for your Holy Spirit who nurtures us from infancy to spiritual maturity. Help us to be your vessels of living water, spilling over onto those around us for your glory.