Words like Rain

God's ways are not like our ways.

Seek the Lord while he wills to be found; call upon him when he draws near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the evil ones their thoughts; And let them turn to the Lord, and he will have compassion, and to our God, for he will richly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as rain and snow fall from the heavens and return not again, but water the earth, Bringing forth life and giving growth, seed for sowing and bread for eating, So is my word that goes forth from my mouth; it will not return to me empty; But it will accomplish that which I have purposed, and prosper in that for which I sent it. - Isaiah 55:6-11

We see the rain fall and water the earth, and we know it will make its way back into the clouds, even though we do not see the whole process.

It nourishes the earth, providing sustenance for the trees and plants and fills the oceans, which let it loose once again into the air.

It comes back pure, as it left.

God tells Isaiah that His word is like the rain.  It comes down and nourishes us and does not return until it has served its purpose.

So, isn't that purpose the same as the rain, to feed us?  Or is there a greater purpose?

The rain empowers the earth to sprout forth fruits, to grow generations of living things that depend upon one another for life.

Without the rain, nothing would exist, but without the inhabitants of the natural world fed by the rain, the rain would achieve nothing.

It would fall, run to the sea and evaporate again.

The process would be there, but not the purpose God intended.

So it is with His word.

We need it to live fully, for without it, we just exist, go through the motions, fail to achieve any real purpose.

We wind up asking ourselves what it all means.

But with it, we know the meaning because it is in us, driving us to be God's presence for others.

So, let us feast on the Words from God and go out to make a difference.

More to come...