Joy after the Drought

Psalm 65:1-5, 8-13; Joel:23-32

Both of these passages from the Old Testament are full of rejoicing, gladness, and praise for the Lord who has delivered them from drought. Not only on their farmlands but spiritually in their own lives.

Psalm 65 is attributed to David. It is a song of praise for God’s works. At the temple of Mt. Zion worshipers would fulfill vows of thankfulness for God’s help. David tells how the Lord answers prayers. God has shown God’s power by creating and sustaining the world.

The goodness of thy house may refer to a festival meal celebrating a plentiful harvest. What caused this great harvest? It was the water God provides through the rain and the rivers. It says the Lord waters the furrows – trenches where seeds are planted, abundantly blessing their growth. The pastures and the hills overflow not only with plants for the flocks to eat but they gird themselves with joy. From this water the valleys deck themselves with grain. Both meadows and valleys shout together for joy.

In our Joel passage the prophet tells the Israelites, the children of Zion, to be glad and rejoice in the Lord. Why? God has given early rain. Again, we have abundant rain. Like in the Psalm the threshing floors will be full of grain and the vats full of wine and oil. In this way God is repaying them for the dry years of drought – the years insects destroyed their crops. They shall eat plenty, so physically they will be taken care of.

Their spiritual lives, however, will also be renewed. God will pour God’s spirit on all flesh. Their sons and note daughters will prophesy, old men will dream dreams, young men will see visions. Even male and female slaves will receive it.

This is prophesying Pentecost when the Holy Spirit will come. Everyone will be included. Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

There are times we go through a figurative drought in our own lives. Could be financial insecurity or the ending of relationships but when we turn to God the Lord will not only pull us through but will send down God’s water of love. When this drought is over we are much more able to appreciate the bounty God brings into our lives. So how can we help but be filled with gladness and joy praising the Lord for the blessings God brings us. Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

God’s Love Poured into our Hearts

  John 16:12-15, Romans 5:1-5 In John 16 Jesus tells his disciples about the Holy Spirit who is to come. The Spirit is referred here as the Spirit of Truth since it will guide them into all truth. The Spirit will glorify Jesus since it will take what Jesus is and declare it to them. Where did Jesus get this truth? He got it from the Father. So, in a roundabout way Jesus receives it from the Father, the Holy Spirit receives it from Jesus, and we receive it from the Holy Spirit. Romans 5 goes on to tell us another wonderous thing the Holy Spirit does. The Spirit will pour God’s love into our hearts. It tells us also what we have received through Christ. We have peace with God due to Christ’s work on the cross and our faith which has justified us. We have also obtained access to grace. This is what Paul stood firm in so he could boast in his afflictions. He has been guided into this truth by the Holy Spirit. He basically reframes the sufferings he is enduring by telling of the b...
Read more

Healing of Flesh and Heart

II Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30 The great man and commander of Aram’s army, Naaman, could conquer anything except his skin disease. When he hears from a young girl captive that the prophet in Israel could heal him he sends money to the king of Israel with the message that he might cure him. But alas the king tears his clothes knowing he can’t do it, scared this might cause a quarrel between the countries. But when Elisha hears of this he sends a message to the king saying, “Let him come to me so that he can learn there is a prophet in Israel.” So, he goes to him with great fanfare – horses and chariots but Elisha doesn’t bother to greet him but sends a messenger with directions of what he must do to be healed. Naaman becomes angry at Elisha for not greeting him and performing what he was expecting. Instead, he gives strange but simple instructions. Naaman goes away in a rage but the servants again come to his rescue. If he was asked to do something difficult wouldn’t he have done it, how...
Read more

Disquieted Souls

  I Kings 19:1-15, Psalm 42 Elijah has had his life threatened, so he runs for his life. He feels like a failure as a prophet. The Israelites have forsaken God’s covenant, thrown down the altars, and has killed God’s prophets. This failure is felt so deep that he asks the Lord to take his life. The Lord’s answer? God sends an angel to feed the fatigued Elijah. Talk about super food! After he eats and rests two times he has enough energy to last a forty-day journey to Horeb where he comes to a cave to rest. It is then the word of the Lord comes to him asking him, “What are you doing here?” To which Elijah voices his complaint, basically: “I’m the only faithful one left and they are seeking my life.” In response God tells him to stand on the mountain before the Lord since God will pass by. Then comes the wonderful passage of where Elijah finds God. It is not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire, but in the sheer silence. In this silence God directs him to return to the wild...
Read more