Speak Concerning the Drought

Dear beloved:  The dry hot summer has everyone concerned about drought and the long term effects on the cost and availability of food. Not only will it effect food prices, but also the cost of fuel because of the lack of available corn for ethanol production, as well as the ripple effect through the whole economy as grain and fiber production are curtailed.  Jeremiah 14:1 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought. v2 Judah mourns, and the gates of her languish; they are black unto the ground; the the cry of Jerusalem has gone up. v3 The nobles have sent their little ones to fetch water; they come to the pits and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered  their heads. v4 Because the ground is parched, for there is no rain on the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads. v5  Yes, the deer also calved in the fields, and forsook it, because there was no grass.

Many people are wringing their hands, anxiety quickens in them just as it did in the days of  Jeremiah.  Without rain, everything languishes, everything suffers; not only for now but maybe for a long time to come, depending on the duration of the drought.  In verse 7 Jeremiah acknowledges that sin is a part of the equation:  Oh Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, bring us rain for Thy name's sake; for our backslidings  are many; we have sinned against Thee.  He goes on to plead with the Lord in verse 8, Lord, don't be a stranger in the land, and again in verse 9, Lord, we are called by Your name; leave us not.

The Lord answers Jeremiah, and He tells him that the people have loved to wander.  v10Thus saith the Lord to this people, they have loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the Lord does not accept them; He will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.  Beloved, we need to acknowledge our sins and ask the Lord to forgive us of our shedding the innocent's blood, and our continued celebration of perversion and immorality in our homes, media, and government.  Lord, we cry out to you, forgive us our sins; we do not fear You as we should; we do not seek You as we should.  Lord, we cannot make even one drop of rain fall, therefore, we cry out to the One who can.  Beloved, get down on your knees today and cry out to the Lord.  God bless you as you pray today.  in Christ, Jim