Nature is pretty astounding. You don’t have to travel to the Cascades in Washington or the white sandy beaches of Florida to experience its beauty and wonder. Living in Kansas, we are lucky enough to bear witness to some of the most brilliant and utterly amazing sunsets this world has to offer. There is absolutely nothing like it. In a phrase, God is simply showing off.God also shows off in how He sustains the earth. Did you know scientists estimate that there is roughly the same amount of water on Earth today as when it was first formed? This water is continually being recycled between the Earth, atmosphere, bodies of water and other living things. It is a scientific process called The Water Cycle and instead of boring you with details of evaporation, precipitation and other types of “tations”, let’s thinks about what this really means to us.
In a nutshell, all living things require water. The Water Cycle is the process in which water is recycled and distributed to all living things. And God is the master of this process. In the Bible, Job 36:27-28 says, “He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind.”
The scripture describes how perfectly crafted and powerful are the ways of God. Especially when it comes to how He designed the world around us. But the author of Job isn’t just talking about nature here. I feel the Holy Spirit nudging me to appreciate that this process of nature is a picture of how Jesus takes care of us. He pours out abundant showers of blessings and grace onto us every day. We just have to receive them. And once we are filled, then are we able to pour out love, encouragement, support, etc. to people in our lives. It is a cycle. He pours into us, so that we can pour into others.
There is nothing a little droplet of water has to do in order to evaporate into the atmosphere and then fall majestically to the ground. The droplet didn’t earn a way into the cycle, it happens because that is the way our Father created it to happen. In the same way, once we become a child of God and accept His grace and forgiveness, there is nothing we do to earn abundant showers of blessings. He pours them out onto us regardless of what we’ve done, or what we haven’t done.
So what does that look like to you? How do you receive God’s abundant blessings? You may be hurting or facing big battles in your life, battles that don’t feel like blessings at all. But the thing is, God wants to walk along side you during those battles. He wants to shower you with love and a promise of hope for the future.
And what does it look like to pour out blessings to the people in your life? Does it mean spending an extra 10-15 minutes with Jesus this morning, so that you can love on and encourage others throughout the day? Does it mean basking in the stillness of His presence before meeting a friend, so that it is His love and spirit that overflows?
Whatever it means to you and whatever situation you find yourself in today, be encouraged and be filled.
Rebekah H.
