Drinking Deeply

March 13, 2008

Greetings, Prayer Team!

I am no less glad to write to you this week from the land of rain than I was last week to write to you from the land of sunshine. I admit my feelings are slightly less elated; however, my mind sees and knows how gleefully the plants and flowers greet this sustaining moisture and thus I am tremendously happy. Already I see that the grass is greener than it was yesterday.

During the summer months, when all memory of rain melts away with the scorching heat, we and our gardens will long for days and rains like this one.

It often works that way—the times during which we bear the most fruit seem least likely to bring the rain’s cool refreshments. We won’t survive if we didn’t stock up in spring and send our roots down deep. Few plants give a good harvest if deprived of all rain (or sprinklers) in the summer, but they lay their deepest foundation and gain their most strength in the spring, when rains are abundant. They make the most of every opportunity to take in the nourishment they need.

“The earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God…” Hebrews 6:7

It occurs to me this afternoon that the rain itself is the blessing received from God. (Earlier, I had looked at this verse and assumed it would be some other thing, yet unseen.) That blessing, drunk in deeply, fosters other blessings, each one nourishing our growth and our stability until we bring forth a harvest.

Each day I check the Streams of Light mailbox, and each day (almost) it contains at least one person’s sacrifice, one person’s monetary rain to nourish ministries around our conference.

This Sunday, the leaders of this campaign are set to meet, to hear reports, and to make decisions. Please uphold them in your prayers. We’d like each drop of rain that falls to be used where God needs it most.

On behalf of Patsy Wagner,

Heidi C. Corder
Assistant, Office of Philanthropy