Dealing with Drought

May is just around the corner and grass that is normally green, if it is like mine, is brown and dry. The City of Thornton has placed us under water restrictions as to how often and how much we can now water. Because of this, we must minimize our water usage on our lawns, hence the restrictions on watering.

There are numerous articles and web sites where you can get advice as to how to deal with these restrictions, even to xeriscaping your yard to permanently reduce water usage. That is one option.

And as much of a detriment droughts are to our lawns, is there something we can learn from it?

What does God say about dealing with drought? Jeremiah 14:1-6 says

"1 This is the word of the LORD to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
2 “Judah mourns,
      her cities languish;
they wail for the land,
      and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
3 The nobles send their servants for water;
      they go to the cisterns
      but find no water.
They return with their jars unfilled;
      dismayed and despairing,
      they cover their heads.
4 The ground is cracked
      because there is no rain in the land;
the farmers are dismayed
      and cover their heads." [NIV84]

You get the severity and as you read the rest of the chapter you understand why the drought was so bad; it was because of the sins of the nation. God was attempting to get their attention.

Is it possible that the same thing is happening in Colorado? Is it possible that the drought we are experiencing is from the Lord, trying to get our attention to turn back to Him, just like with Israel?

Job 12:15 says,
"If he holds back the waters, there is drought;
if he lets them loose, they devastate the land." [NIV84]

Zechariah 10:1 says,
"Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime;
it is the LORD who makes the storm clouds.
He gives showers of rain to men, and plants of the field to everyone." [NIV84]

We should turn back to God, ask Him to once again bless our land. We should be praying for revival in our State and local communities.

Sometimes we find this is true spiritually, that our lives are like our lawns, brown and dry.

If this is true in your life, your spiritual lawn isn’t pleasing to the eye. You certainly wouldn’t
invite your friends and family to run barefoot over it. What should you do if this is true?

Seek God.

We need to seek God to give us the spiritual rain and blessing that we need to flourish. When we are in a spiritual drought, God’s word tells us:

"Sow for yourselves righteousness,
      reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
      for it is time to seek the LORD,
until he comes
      and showers righteousness on you." [Hosea 10:12]

It says to sow righteousness.

It says to break up your unplowed ground.

It says that it is time to seek the Lord.
. . . And then he comes and brings the showers of righteousness.

Ask yourself,

• What am I sowing? We know that we reap what we sow. Ask God to help you sow

righteousness through Jesus Christ. Use the spiritual spreader to sow out seeds that will
result in righteousness. Do this by connecting to the Holy Spirit, asking Him to change
you from the inside out.

Romans 8:26-27 says,
"26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought
to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will."

• What unplowed ground needs to be plowed up? What areas of your life have you left

dormant that God wants you to plow up or maybe previously plowed ground you have neglected? What weeds have you allowed to grow in your spiritual lawn that need to be
uprooted to make place for God’s green grass?

• What are you doing to seek the Lord? Make attending church on a regular basis a top priority Make bible reading and prayer an important part of your routine. You could use Our Daily Bread booklets to get started if you need. You can find them in the church foyer on the Connect table. Listen to good Christian music to build your faith. Find a place where you can serve others within the body of Christ. Get involved in a life group, or a bible study. Of course, it is important to ask for God’s help in all of this as you seek Him, but he will honor all attempts that you make through His Spirit.

To sum it all up, there is an old hymn I learned as a child, There Shall Be Showers of Blessing by James McGranahan, penned in 1883who’s words stand true for us today.

There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.

Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.

There shall be showers of blessing:
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come and now honor Thy Word.

There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we're confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!

Reconnect with the one who can end the drought in our state, and in our lives and bring the springtime showers we need.