BLESSINGS AND PROVISION
Ask rain from the LORD at the time of the spring rain— The LORD who makes the storm clouds; And He will give them showers of rain, vegetation in the field to each man. Zechariah 10:1
As I read through Zechariah 10:1, I can’t help but think of how often I find myself in the same position as the people of Israel: desperately in need of rain. Of course, I’m not talking about literal rain here, but the blessings and provision that come from God. In this verse, God is telling his people to ask him for rain in the time of the latter rain. Now, I’m not a farmer, but I can imagine that if you’re waiting for rain to water your crops, the latter rain is especially important. It’s the rain that comes at the end of the growing season, just before the harvest, and it can make all the difference in the world.
So, what does this mean for us? Well, I think it means that it’s okay to ask God for his blessings. In fact, he wants us to ask! Psalm 37:4 tells us to delight ourselves in the Lord, and he will give us the desires of our hearts. Malachi 3:10 says that if we bring our tithes and offerings to God, he will open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings upon us. And Matthew 6:33 encourages us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to us.
Now, I know what some of you might be thinking. “But wait a minute, isn’t it selfish to ask God for blessings? Shouldn’t we just be content with what we have?” Well, here’s the thing: the blessings that God gives us aren’t just for our benefit. As Galatians 5:22 tells us, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are the blessings that matter, and they’re not things that money can buy.
So, go ahead and ask God for rain. Ask him for the blessings and provisions that you need. And then trust that he will give you exactly what you need, exactly when you need it. Because when you do, you’ll find that the blessings he gives you are more than you ever could have asked for or imagined.