Message summary: Today let us give thanks for both the blessing of physical rain as well as the showers of God's spiritual blessings!

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"I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing. And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase" (Ezekiel 34:26,27)

We received some nice rain yesterday afternoon and through the night. It seems like our parched lawn has already perked up this morning. According to our rain gauge we got almost 2 inches.

Did you know an inch of rain spread over one acre is equal to some 27,000 gallons of water? Now as far as weight that would be about 227,000 pounds of water on each acre.*¹ Being curious and analytical that means at 2 inches our 1/2 acre lot got plastered with nearly 214 tons of water in the last 24 hours!!! It’s amazing how much water fills the clouds above us, isn’t it?

Yet consider this aspect of common grace*²: the water is spread over the earth incrementally in drops rather than poured out all at once in one place, as we would empty a bucket. That to me is another powerful, yet often overlooked, evidence of “intelligent design” that points to our Creator.

Today's text is from Ezekiel in a section titled "The Lord's Covenant of Peace". Physical rain is a blessing in so many ways and yet depending on our activities and awareness a common phrase is, "I hope it doesn't rain today" when we are planning an outdoor activity. Have you ever said that?

Ezekiel uses a phrase that is also the title of an old hymn, "Showers of Blessing" which speaks of how God showers His blessings on us.

Blogger Patrick Oben writes,

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, thank You for sending down Your showers in their season. At times the earth is parched and vegetation is dying due to absence of showers, but finally the rains from heaven fall and drench the thirsty lands and we are filled with joy and thanksgiving. So it is with the soul of one whose spirit may be dry and growing indifferent to spiritual matters. We invite You to saturate us with the infilling of Your Holy Spirit so that we are refreshed, strengthened, and emboldened to live wholeheartedly for You, to bear spiritual fruit and to bring increase to the kingdom of God. We do it all for Jesus in whose name we pray. Amen.

"Showers Of Blessing"   Watch on YouTube  Gospel Music Hymn Sing

Jeff is a long time reader now living in NC. Yesterday in our message we shared that most of the music we sing has been written in the last 200 years and in many cases the last 5 years. He shared about this song written about 1500 years ago! "Of the Father's Love Begotten" Watch on YouTube  Traditional a capella choir

John Keefer, my former pastor and husband to Faithe for 54 years wrote: "I love the song, "Higher Ground". We have sung this all my life. Yes it is and has been our desire to walk close to Jesus on a higher plane. When we were courting I would always squeeze Faithe's hand on the words, "Lord lift my up and let me stand, by Faithe on Heaven's tableland."

*¹ An Inch of Rain Equals I admit it's really hard to believe but I found this on several sources. Or use this Rainfall calculator

*² What is common grace?  (from gotquestions.org)