The weather here in south Mississippi has been hot and dry. I mean, it’s always hot but this year has been unusually hot. We have has numerous record breaking days over 100 degrees and to add to that, no rain. This area of the country typically sees rain showers pretty often and at our house we have gone about 12 weeks or more with less than an inch of rain. Needless to say, there are some dry places around here.
Husband has been able to get a section of land cleared and leveled for the first time since we moved out here in 2011. Trees are beginning to die and the ground is in some serious need of rain.
There has been quite a bit of grumbling around here about the weather. Even the cows are hot! We have had a few cattle that lost their pregnancies due to the heat. We have made sure most all of them have the ability to get into a pond or creek and still the heat has taken its toll.
The last cutting of hay won’t be what it was desired to be and pretty soon we will have to start feeding hay because the grass is suffering so. With all of the heat, and the daily prayers for rain, I really thought I would write this a certain way…but every time I started to write, I felt blocked.
But then, a reminder came! Psalms 34 came to mind and God has stirred that in me several times the last few days. After not writing for some time, I felt Him say, “Write it this way.”
Bless my name.
Bless your name? But God, you know we need rain, right? Why do you hold it back? The cattle are suffering. I am HOT! We need this, we want that… why did they get rain, why don’t we get some? Whine, whine, whine!
Bless my name.
You know what? No matter what, no matter how sick, how hurt, or how dry you are… can I remind you along with myself? Bless His name! Let His praise be continually in MY mouth! Let me praise Him instead of whine. Why?
Because He is GOOD! Without the rain, we are able to clear and work on land we never have been able to before. With no rain, no one is getting rained out of work and there’s plenty of work to be done. Even without much rain, we have still had plenty of grass to feed cattle and even with calf loss, the cattle are healthy, growing and selling.
I have air conditioning! Hallelujah and AMEN! That is one thing for sure that I am thankful for! No matter what it looks like around me, I will BLESS HIS NAME!
So maybe you find yourself in a dry place. Maybe you’ve been going through a season of sickness or family crisis, whatever your dry place is and it feels like God has just left you without any rain…Psalms 43:4 says, “I sought the Lord AND He heard me and delivered me from ALL” my troubles? No! He never said he would take you out of the trouble, just that he would be there with you in the midst of it.
The writer says, “He heard me and delivered me from all of my fears!” There is no need to fear the dry season or whine in it or even think that it will last forever. He is too good for that!
Friend take note from the psalmist, David. Bless His name! Praise Him anyway. The Lord is watching, listening and He knows. We are blessed, even in the dry places.
Psalms 34
I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried out, and the Lordheard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The [a]angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!
There is no [b]want to those who fear Him.
10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
To [c]cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lordhears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as [d]have a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He guards all his bones;
Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous shall be [e]condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.
Heather, Your words always seem to speak to me and while my worries are not about the rain but rather about a year long of being without my home, you have confirmed in my heart that His will is done at the time He knows will most benefit us. We must all “Bless God’s Holy Name” endlessly!
Yes! Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Praying your home comes together soon.
Hello – Thank you for posting this! I will pray that you get rain soon. I do not have cattle to raise and make sure they have enough water, but we are gardeners and believe it or not, in Michigan, we, too did not get enough rain this summer. We watered gardens daily and are still watering trees and plants that are not well established. I always enjoy the pictures and the words. Psalm 34 – a beautiful reminder of where our focus should be. Blessings to you and your family.
Praying all those who need His rain, get the water they need for their land and their thirsty souls!!