Thursday, June 21, 2012

Drought and Storm

Matthew 5:44-45

44 "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous".

Do you have enemies? (And do they know they are your enemies)? And how would it look if you loved them? And the praying for them? Im pretty sure God rejected my prayers of make her go away and others as a prayer that met the criteria for praying for your enemies.  I know he was probably quite disappointed in me over some of the words I said.  But I want to be a child of my Father in heaven, so Ill do better. (This paragraph is just a bonus, when I read it I felt like Id been spanked by the word of God.  I really intended to talk about verse 45). 

I've been reading the Gospels, over and over.  About Jesus.  About his love, how he handled situations and people because he always got it right.  I can learn from him.  Can't be him, but can be better.  Matthew is great. 

I really thought about verse 45.  He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous".

Ahhhh, me and my love/hate relationship with facebook. The place where someone is showing off their new thousands of dollars toy (thats right I called it a TOY and we all have them) right next to someone who is asking for prayer for a child with cancer.

One person is building huts in the jungles of Guatemala and another is drinking Mai Tais on the beach in Hawaii.

One person is moving into their fancy new 4,000 SF home celebrating a good move/promotion and another is downsizing, literally cutting their belongings in half to move into a new home, city and career due to cutbacks/economy, etc.


First, let me say that I think buying new toys as I called them is great, vacations are great, big new beautiful homes are great. There is nothing that says we have to take a vow of poverty and give everything we have away. (Funny anecdote:  I was told once every time I think about buying crest white strips I think I could give that money to missions. I think of that every time I buy crest white strips, but I still buy them. One mans sacrificial gift is anothers man gleaming white smile). 

I do believe we are asked to give and help others. But God will put it in your heart and you will know what cause to support and what amount to give.   And your giving is up to you and can and should be private.  So the person on the beach may have financed that whole trip to Guatemala and the building materials for the huts.  I don't know.  But it just made this verse stick out to me that while some struggle some flourish.   

But...
GOD IS GOOD

In the storm and the drought - which ironically are complete opposites and both represent bad in our lives.
When the unrighteous people are blessed and the righteous people struggle, God is good. 

When the righteous people are blessed and the unrighteous people struggle, God is good.

The bonus at work that is a blessing from God for one man is the same bonus to the atheist. It rains blessings on both.  The layoff for the devout Christian man is the same lack of income for the atheist.  

Sometimes I feel a season of drought. I need the storm. I need to realize sometimes it takes a storm to heal the drought.   

And I'm feeling kind of dry, So whether you think you are good or bad, righteous or unrighteous, if its raining where you are, would you come stand next to me?

And Ill work on how to pray for my enemies.





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