Message from the Monthly Flyer November 2018

When the Rain Won’t Stop

Mark 4:36-41 – KJV – „ And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?“

The earth needs the rain for the success of our crops from which we obtain the food that sustains our bodies and keeps us alive. The rain is an essential and vital element of the nature that we all need because the water that it provides keeps everything alive, whether plants, trees, animals or human beings. Without water we cannot survive and life on earth would become impossible. Farmers and the people who work in the area of agriculture can tell us how much their work and life depend on the rain to fall in due time and season. When we look at it in the Bible, we discover that the rain is a sign of blessing and God expresses His favour and goodness upon a land or a person’s life by allowing the rain to fall and water the ground (i.e. Deuteronomy 11:14). On the other side, God’s wrath is also manifested by the fact that He will retain the rain and not allow it to fall in order to punish a sinful nation (i.e. 1 Kings 8:35). Furthermore, the Bible records the story of a man called (Genesis chapters 6 and 9). Noah who was saved with seven other members of his family when he built an ark and stayed there while God sent judgement on the face of the earth and destroyed it by water: it rained for forty days and forty nights because God wanted to make a new earth (Genesis chapters 6 and 9).

Even though we need the rain to perpetuate life on earth, too much rain becomes a hindrance and even a danger to life. Just as in the story of Noah, when it rains too much or for a very long period of time, it kills every life. There are situations in our lives that we could perceive as a rain that won’t stop. It means that we may find ourselves going through the same issues over and over again and things will not seem to change. Such situations are annoying and can be felt like as an unending, oppressing and dangerous rain that kills every hope. The inner desire of every person who is a believer or not is to see things changing in their lives for the better. We get discouraged when there is no improvement whatsoever in any area of our lives. We all love success and we all strive for happiness. That’s why we become weary and even fall in despair when things are not improving the way we desire, even though we are doing all our best to witness a positive change. In such situations, we can call on the God who created heaven and earth and gives instructions to the elements of nature. When the storm rages, the Master of the universe is faithful, caring and loving enough to set us free. The same way Jesus spoke to the storm and commanded it to stop in Mark 4, 36-41, He is able to do the same in whatever storm we may find ourselves. In trusting and believing there shall be victory because Jesus Christ the Master in all creation is in control. mt