Thoughts for another day

July 7, 2011

Today's verse: Job 5:22. At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.  (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Richard looked up at the sky; it was well beyond two months since the rains were to begin, but this year, there was no sign of those dense clouds that plod the sky during this time.  The crops at the beginning of monsoons had failed for lack of water and things looked grim.  Yet, Richard, a farmer in a small hamlet near Nagpur, a city in central India, did not lose hope.  He had read the above Scripture verse and was confident God would do something.

Another month passed by with just minor drizzles and each day for the farmers was like an age.  The government had declared drought and started offering assistance.  But it was very meager.  Every eye was turned on Richard, who was like a priest to the villagers for he always encouraged them no matter who they followed, telling them about Jesus Christ, the only God and always praying for them.  He told them from the beginning that they'd have a good monsoon as He was praying daily for the rains; yet, there was no rain. 

Richard was a little pained by all this but his faith didn't dwindle.  He got again on his knees and prayed, 'Sovereign Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, where is Your mighty hand which worked wonders in Egypt?  Where is your favor on mankind which You showed Isaac when he sowed and reaped a hundred fold in famine?   Where Oh, Lord is that amazing love for us which sent Jesus Christ to the cross? 

In all this Richard never lost hope and on the 8^th day of the 4^th and last month, a little downpour happened; then the rains intensified.  In a week it had rained as much as it did in more than 80 days.  The village ponds and wells were full, and the lush crops, despite the earlier failure now in fullness rose out of the earth swaying to the lashing rain.  Yes, once again God had looked with mercy on His people.  Richard once again remembered the Scripture we have today and cried:  what a wonderful God he served and tears streamed out of his eyes, marveling at God's goodness and love.