As the Southeastern United States, also known as the “Bible-Belt,” languishes under the worst drought since 1895, we are asking people everywhere to pray for rain.
Nearly 400 years ago our forefathers faced a drought that threatened their very survival in this new land. Beginning in June and continuing for another seven weeks, the crops sown with what precious seed they had from the previous year’s meager harvest began to brown and whither as the hot, dry weather took its toll. By the middle of July, a month in which rain is typically scarce, the pilgrims were barely subsisting on the fish they could catch, and the future winter looked bleak. They turned to the only hope that they had – intervention from God – and appointed a solemn day of humiliation and prayer. Edward Winslow records the events that followed in his journal:
In the morning, when we assembled together, the heavens were as clear, and the drought as likely to continue as ever it was…before our departure the weather was over-cast, the clouds gathered together on all sides, and on the next morning distilled such soft, sweet and moderate showers of rain, continuing some fourteen days, and mixed with such seasonable weather, as it was hard to say whether our corn or drooping affections were most quickened or revived. Such was the bounty and goodness of our God.
Our prayer is effective and once again our nation is in need of rain. Natural drought is a reflection of the spiritual drought of our nation. One hundred years after the Azusa outpouring and forty years after the Jesus movement, our nation is in need of the refreshing rains of revival. Zechariah 10:1 instructs us to “Ask the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone.”
Last week as
Bonnie ministered in the last meeting of our church’s women’s retreat,
she felt impressed that they pray for rain. By the time she was halfway home from the beach, rain drops began to fleck
her windshield. For the next three days we experienced a break in the weather as rain began to fall on our city. Ironically, in reporting on the drought conditions, the local newspaper ran a picture of two girls from our church playing in the refreshing rain. The title of the article: Let it Pour.
We agree – it is time for the rains of refreshing and revival to pour out on our nation. We continue to lift up America and ask for the breakthrough in both the spiritual and natural drought in our nation. We have set aside Mondays as a corporate body to fast and pray for the 2008 Presidential elections, our troops in Iraq and to ask God to pour out His Spirit in a fresh spiritual visitation in America. Join us as we pray for rain and for God’s Spirit to revive our nation in order to bring forth a mighty harvest for His Kingdom.
