"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face." 1 Corinthians 13:12

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Make Hay While the Rain Falls

Yes, I do know that my title is a take off from an old adage. I can't help myself, that's just the way the idea sprang into the brain God gave me.

The other saying was first recorded in 1546 by John Heywood in A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the Englishe language.
Whan the sunne shinth make hay. Whiche is to say.
Take time whan time cometh, lest time steale away.

I've done a bit of research and learned that though this cliché sprouted from the fertile ground of farm life, by the second half of the seventeenth century it was applied to life in general. It's a compact way to encourage folks to act while an opportunity exists or to take action while the circumstances are favorable - not to procrastinate, if you will. After all, if a farmer doesn't harvest his hay while the sun is shining today, rain might fall and spoil the crop tomorrow.

It's all well and good to rejoice about what can be accomplished on a sunny day, but what happens when there's a string of rainy days? Does that mean that all work stops until the sun comes out again? Well, with the spring we had up here in Maine this year, there would have been a serious drought in the action department. The Lord's been showing me that rainy days can be the setting for exploring new vistas and making fresh headway.

As a matter of fact, in some personal time with the Lord recently, He gave me a passage that threw a bright light on the concept. Isaiah 30:19-33 is a powerful passage about God's work in the world. I became enthralled by its opening on a particularly down day, O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you.
Immediate solutions are my style so the ears of my heart came right to attention. [Hmm, this means that God has already heard me and His answer is on its way.]

Verse 20 opened the eyes of my heart, Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them.
The Word was allowing me to see that the very things that I considered adversity and affliction were/are actually the bread and water He was/is providing to keep me alive spiritually and mature my soul. [Oh yes, Lord, the mature faith described in James 1 is exactly what I seek. Thank you.]

The next two verses spoke to me about getting my life in order - listening to God's directions and destroying any 'idols' that challenge His rightful and loving authority. I took some deep time with Him in this sensitive and critical area. Then I moved on to verse 23 and He met me all over again with refreshment.

He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. In that day your cattle will graze in broad meadows. The oxen and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder and mash, spread out with fork and shovel.

Rain may compromise a farmer's hay harvest, but God says He uses it to sprout the seed His people sow. The Word says that His harvest in a life yielded to Him is rich and plentiful. These are the blessings of the covenant promises and God always keeps His word. Psalm 145:13b.

The broad meadows spoken of here drew me back to the 'green pastures' of Psalm 23 and I was reminded that He is the Shepherd who causes me to 'lie down' and rest in His tender care. Hallelujah!

Now, if you're anything like me you're wondering how anyone can 'make hay' when it's 'raining'. How is it possible to make headway when we feel we're about to buried alive by avalanches of problems? Surely, it's impossible to find or do anything positive in the midst of a situation that screams of chaos, confusion, and pain. WRONG!

I'm here to tell you that God will always make a way for those who seek Him first. Matthew 6:33 When God is one's hiding place, learning abounds and growth is assured. I'm a full-on, God-blessed witness.

Let's be honest, anyone who's walked the pilgrim path for any length of time knows that trials are real AND it's in the midst of the struggles that our roots are forced to reach down deep for divine sustenance. We need to recognize these times and circumstances for what they really are: God's working field to bring the testimony of His Son's righteousness into full bloom in our lives ... for His own glory.

Trial-tested Suggestions for Rainy Days:
1. Admit the hard stuff is hard - to yourself, those closest to you, and especially to God.
2. Force yourself to maintain the Christian duties - be in the Word daily, attend worship, stick with a Bible study group, pray without ceasing, continue to do good.
3. Fight the desire to isolate - minimize contacts to the most supportive, but keep those growing with honesty before the throne of grace.
4. Surround yourself with spiritual support - pin up meaningful Scriptures, listen to music that feeds your soul, arrange refreshing breaks, cry out to Jesus who is our loving and able Older Brother.
5. Keep track of those things that are eating at you - lay them out before God and ask Him to show you the proper way to respond, check to see if you're exhibiting the same traits and do something about it.
6. Ladies, check out the balance of Martha- and Mary-like behavior in your life - ask the Holy Spirit to give you insight and enable you to make the changes He shows you.
7. Share deeply with your spouse - make time to compare notes on what you're learning about God, yourself and each other, maybe even write down the details for future reference.
8. Maintain integrity - be real with compassion, plastic smiles won't fix anything, after all Jesus didn't wave pompoms on the way to the cross.
9. Wait on The One who knows you more intimately and loves you more completely than you will probably ever fully understand - concentrate on who He is and who you are before Him, choose to worship rather than whine.
Sorry there's not 10. I'll add more another one if comes to me. :-D

So, the next time you encounter a 'rainy day' ... or a series of them ... no matter how overwhelming ... remember the Truth is that God sends adversity and affliction to instruct us in the way we should go. I pray He's grant you a glimpse of the opportunities that exist to seek Him first and of the favorable aspects of any situation to pursue the path He is laying out for you. Let's not procrastinate. 2 Peter 3:8-14