Saturday, June 30, 2012

A Prayer for Rain

Despite the occasional thunderstorm, much of Indiana remains in drought. Page 828 of the Book of Common Prayer includes a prayer for rain:
O God, heavenly Father, who by your Son Jesus Christ has promised to all those who seek your kingdom and it's righteousness all things necessary to sustain their life: send us, we entreat you, in this time of need, such moderate rain and showers, that we may receive the fruits of the earth, to our comfort and your honor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Today's Psalm for Morning Prayer illustrates God's practice of desertification and renewal.
The Lord changed the rivers into deserts, and water-springs into thirsty ground, a fruitful land into salt flats, because of the wickedness of those who dwell there. He changed deserts into pools of water and dry land into water-springs. He settled the hungry there, and they founded a city to dwell in. Ps. 107:33-36
We interpret weather patterns as a message from God at our peril. But we see here a promise of water for those who thirst. A spiritual interpretation may be easier to swallow than a literal one. Still, we say that God can do "infinitely more than we can ask or imagine" (Eph. 3:20). We could do worse than to ask and imagine rain.

No comments:

Post a Comment