GOD WILL COME TO US LIKE RAIN

HE WILL COME TO US LIKE RAIN

“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” (‭Hosea‬ ‭6‬:‭1-3‬ NIV)

In 1904 a young ministerial student named Evan Roberts, began to feel that God was sending an urgent message that He was going to pour out a mighty spirit of revival on Wales, which is now a part of Great Britain.

Roberts soon returned to his home church to preach the message of revival but his pastor was reluctant to allow him to speak. In a compromise, the pastor announced that Roberts would be speaking following the regular prayer meeting and any who wished to stay were welcome. Only 17 people stayed to hear Evan speak and most of them were teenagers and young adults.

When Roberts was finished speaking all 17 young people were at the altar on their knees crying out to God. They prayed until 2am that night and it was the beginning of one of the greatest movements of God in all history. By the end of the week, over 60 people were won to Christ and over the course of the next year and a half revival swept through the nation of Wales. Over 1,000,000 people were led to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

The revival was so great that the national culture changed dramatically.
• A rage of bankruptcies took place - All of the taverns and liquor stores went out of business
• Work at the coal mines was brought to a near standstill - The mules who pulled the wagons were so accustomed to hearing foul language from the workers that after the men were saved the mules no longer recognized their voices or commands
• The entire police force was dismissed for almost 18 months due to a complete lack of crime
• One of the few court cases that was actually brought before a judge was unusual. The defendant came into the court and admitted his guilt, the judge led the man to Christ and the jury closed the case by singing a hymn.

When I read stories like this - my heart hungers and yearns for a great revival to come to the High Desert.  We have many places of worship and many godly christian people who live in the High Desert.  We've been blessed in so many ways - but there is more.

Perhaps we, unlike other communities, recognize the need for rain.  We get so little of it - that when it does come it's like a refreshing on the earth.  I am often dissapointed when I hear of rain coming down the hill but never reaches the High Desert.  I was so blessed last week when the rain came through - if even for a few hours.

This passage in Hosea teaches us that God is going to come back "like rain" on a dry and thirsty land.  Notice the invitation Hosea gives that people might return to God.

“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. (‭Hosea‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬ NIV)

Hosea ministered during a spiritually turbulent time in the nation of Israel. The kingdom of David was divided into two separate nations: the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Hosea was a prophet to the northern kingdom

The invitation was to live in the ways of God. It was an invitation to come back to the ways that the people knew were right.

Hosea tells the people to return to the LORD. Idolatry had become a standard practice in Israel and the people were worshipping idols instead of God. We have a difficult time understanding this. The people dropped their convictions and left their beliefs behind. How many times have you given up a conviction for convenience? How many times have you changed what you believe to gain some sort of benefit?

God's promise to them and to us is "Return to God and I will heal you and I will restore you."

The word restore is a great word. God promises not just to give us life but to raise us up, to restore that which has been lost, to prove His faithfulness. When God brings restoration to us, it is to make things as they were meant to be. It is to give us back that which we lost and to ensure us a bold and wonderful life.

Notice, He will come to us like the winter rains.  The winter rains played a vital role in Israel’s agricultural economy. The winter rains washed away the remnants of the previous season. For example, the rains would wash away the chaff from wheat left in the harvesting areas. They served as a way to clear the fields of anything left over from the harvest season and then prepared the fields for planting.

So how does this affect us? Before we do anything for God we must first be in a right position with Him. This means that there must be a cleansing in our lives. God does this in two distinct ways. The first is through the work of Jesus on the cross giving us the opportunity for salvation. Salvation cleanses us from the effects of sin. Just as the winter rains cleansed the fields of harvest. The second is through the work of the Holy Spirit indwelling us giving us the opportunity for sanctification. Sanctification cleanses us of the effects of the sinful nature.

He will come to us like the spring rains.  The spring rains played a different role in Israel’s agriculture. The spring rains watered the ground for the planting season. This made the springs rains vital for the coming of new life. These rains were the renewing of the land for a new season of life. Spring rains made it possible the seeds to take on a new cycle of life and brought growth to the new plants. Without a good season of rain in the spring there would not be a good harvest.

Do you feel like you have been beat up by the world around you? Are you hurting today because of choices you have made? God is calling and He will bring healing and wholeness to your life

Maybe today your life feels dry and lifeless. Maybe today you are in need of a downpour of the Holy Spirit on your life. Today God still promises to send the cleansing winter rains to wash away the old life. God still promises to send the life giving spring rains.

Today, you have a choice to make, no one else can make it for you. You are only as close to God as you choose to be.

God is waiting to come to you "like rain."  Make one step toward Him and He will make five toward you.  He so wants to bless you and pour His spirit into your life.