If you're reading this, that means you didn't get washed away in the heavy rains Sunday morning like our church van almost did. While we were on the Men's Advance tucked into the Blue Ridge Mountains, the rains moved in and drenched the valley, raised the rivers, and flooded the roads. A section of the road about 30 yards in length was covered with about 18-20 inches of water. The trucks and Jeeps some drove handled the road-turned-river fine, but brother Dale Crosby was driving the church van through when he noticed the van started shifting to the right... thankfully, the van found the ground again and Dale led the van, and those inside it, safely through. What an incredible amount of rain, though.
This morning I continued my study through the book of Hosea and came across a passage that recalled the image of the rain covering the valley we were in. The prophet Hosea spoke the Word of the Lord to the Israelites who had been "promiscuously," following other gods and worshiping idols, calling them out for their spiritual adultery, and exhorting them to return to the Lord. Hosea's words struck me with awe as I read them, particularly 6:3, "Let us strive to know the LORD. His appearance is as sure as the dawn. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the land" (CSB). Keep in mind the backdrop: the northern tribes of Israel were "committing blatant acts of promiscuity by abandoning the LORD" (Hosea 1:2), and yet, Hosea invites them to seek after knowing the Lord. When they do, they'll know He's appeared because it'll be as obvious as the night being conquered by the dawn. Then, notice how the Lord will draw near to those who seek to know Him: "He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the land." Springtime is a season of growth, renewal, and life. One thing that's surely needed is an abundance of water to saturate the earth. This is how God says He will come to those far off who return to the Lord (6:1).
I love this; even if we're guilty of idol worship, of being promiscuous and abandoning the Lord for "other lovers," God is inviting us back into a relationship with Him, to see His glorious appearance, to relate intimately with Him in His presence, and He offers to be for us rain that saturates the soil of our souls, that drenches us in His grace, so much so that it floods in abundant excess and covers the roads of our hearts. This provides and prepares the way for renewal and growth within. Sunday morning, as we men were sitting together worshipping and seeking the Lord inside, the rains poured outside. I stopped for a second, considered, and said to the guys, "Men, I believe God is using our weekend together to nourish our souls just as this rain nourishes the ground." Little did I know I'd be reading this morning that He comes to those who seek Him like the rain.
Stop waiting to seek God until you clean your act up enough to feel acceptable to the Lord; cast down your idols, addictions, and other lovers. Let us strive to know the LORD, and He will come to you like the rain. Blessings.