Waiting for Rain

In Job 5 we read that Eliphaz the Temanite admonished his friend to seek unto God and unto God to commit his cause. Why unto God? He “doeth great things and unsearchable; marvelous things without number.” Also, He “giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields.” What if the Lord does not give rain upon the earth? If the waters are withholden by Him? Then the fields are dry, the plants droop, the grass turns brown, the pastures languish, the corn withers, the grain shrivels up; even the trees cast their leaves and shed their needles. Oh, then the ground cracks open, and the beasts of the field and the cattle seek for water.

It is dry in many places, very dry. We read, and we hear about drought and threatening crop failures. Our eyes can also see it, sometimes close by. Here and there it is also true what the LORD said in Amos: “I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.”

However, even if our eyes see it, does our heart observe it? Do we feel God’s hand in all these dealings? Do we hear the rod and Who hath appointed it? Must we not learn that we are so dependent on Him for every blessing? For every drop of rain? While we have forfeited the smallest drop? With all our efforts and knowledge and technology we cannot make the crops to grow, we cannot bring an abundant harvest into the barn, nor can we cause the rain to come down with favour from heaven.

Pause now and examine, all of us, for even the king is served by the field—and presently so many fields are dry and may not yield a single bushel. Have we been humbled under this all? Have we broken with sin and sought righteousness? Do we not call God’s righteous judgments upon us with all the Sabbath-breaking, with all the taking of the LORD’s Name in vain, the countless slaying of the fruits of the womb, the crying sins of immorality, adultery, indecent dress, stealing, murdering, lying? Is there an end to the long list of our awful transgressions? We have forgotten the Name of our God and unto the idols our hands spread abroad. What idols? Money, possessions, the foolishness of sports, fashion, worldliness, drunkenness, empty pleasure, and most of all, self. We have forsaken the Lord, and we must return unto Him, confessing our guilt and iniquity, supplicating for mercy.

Let us not be mistaken: the sins of the world are sins found in the church, in our families, and in our hearts. The judgments begin at God’s house. How many neglect the means of grace and waste the time of grace. How many travel on vacations, in summer or winter, and stay in places where there is no truth for our soul to be heard. How we squander the best time of our life to remember our Creator, not realizing we are going to our long home. Where is the reverence in God’s house, also in our dress? Do we not realize we are appearing before God’s holy majesty? Where is the bowing under the Holy Word of the Lord? Who still takes heed to the admonitions? What pride and presumption flourishes in our hearts. Is it not a sign of hardening? Where is the respect for the offices? Where is the high regard for God’s true people? The fear of offending the Lord and even His little ones? Is not the difference between the church and the world fast disappearing? And truly, who weeps on account of all these things? Who has true sorrow of heart? Who has become guilty? Who has learned to smite upon his thigh with Ephraim and become ashamed?

Many people wait for the rain and also for showers. There are congregations where prayer services are held because of this dearth. Indeed, we should ask the LORD for rain and for the latter rain. May He graciously be pleased to grant relief, but who waits for God? Who waits for His speech to be dropped upon us? For His words to be spoken in our heart? For the Spirit’s blessed operations in our own soul, among our children and youth, in the churches? Who waits for His quickening and reviving work? Is not the field of the church so dry? So barren?

How many of the few true Zionites are also drooping and languishing? No, we must not despise what the Lord, in His undeserved goodness, still has given, but the living Church, in general, is so far from the right place. Where is the practice of godliness? The tender communion with the Lord? The sitting at the Master’s feet for the one thing needful? The upright walk? The broken heart and contrite spirit? The need for God by day and by night? The seeking of the things which are above, there where Christ sitteth? The outgoings of the heart unto the only Saviour? That going with access in the new and living Way unto God the Father? Who can still testify: “Christ, Who is my Life”?

Job said, “And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.” He spoke of the respect the people formerly had for him and their desire to hear him speak to show his favour. Oh, that this may be wrought by God’s Spirit among us, experimentally. Then we hear the Lord Himself speaking: “And they waited for Me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.” This is the chief blessing we need, the most necessary waiting.

Let us then seek to bow our knees and try to find the inner chamber. May we be brought low before God’s countenance, may there be a waiting, an opening of our mouth, a panting after the living God, having forfeited all. Let us beg the Lord for humbling grace so that as unworthy beggars we may come to Him, asking not only for rain upon the parched fields and for showers when He has given some but especially for the sake of Christ Who thirsted, that the LORD would grant: “I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring.”

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