Photo by Joshua K. Jackson on Unsplash
A number of years ago, when we still lived in TX, we were in the middle of a drought. It was a 2 year drought. I don’t even remember what year it was. It was somewhere between 2008 and 2013. We lived in the wet part of TX. We had lots of lakes, hills and trees. It didn’t look like the TX you see in the movies. This is East TX. We grow roses and azaleas with ease…as well as almost anything else. It is the piney woods part of TX.
But during that time, lakes were drying up and piers were sitting on dry land. Yards were turning brown. Water restrictions were increasing in many parts of the state…especially when it came to watering your yard.
East TX is definitely part of the Bible belt. Many churches were starting to have prayer meetings to pray for rain. There were even some public prayer meetings to pray for rain. Suddenly, a surprising turn of events happened that even some people of faith cooperated with. stop
Various types of characters were hired to do rain dances to bring on rain. They definitely had nothing to do with the GOD we worship! I was stunned!
Why would people who claim to worship GOD do such a thing? It is called hedging your bets. When things are happening that we don't understand, particularly when they aren't happening in the way we want, we need to have a backup plan. Click To TweetOur community started to hedge their bets when it came to asking for rain!
Why would people who claim to worship GOD do such a thing…or even cooperate with it? There is only one reason. It is called hedging your bets. When things are happening that we don’t understand, particularly when they aren’t happening in the way we want, we need to have a backup plan.
- Maybe we want to make GOD look good…as if He needs us to.
- Maybe we aren’t certain He really is the One in control of the rain.
- Maybe we aren’t certain we can live without whatever it is that we are needing to live without, so we develop a backup plan.
Needless to say, the rain dancing didn’t work either. But eventually, rain did come. We got wonderful, soil drenching rain over the course of the next year and our drought was declared over.
It was wonderful to see green again…and beauty and lushness. It was delightful to see the lakes full of water too, instead of death and stagnance.
This change is taking place in my life as I learn to trust GOD in new ways
Recently, I have been reminded of how often I do this in my daily life with Jesus. I don’t think He is enough. His plans for me aren’t what I want. I want to “fix” His plans. I have a picture in my mind of what I want my life to look like. I work and pry. I manipulate and squeeze, trying to force my plan on those around me. But I wear myself out as well as them…and I make myself miserable!
I have been challenged this week to hand over that burden to Jesus. It is a heavy yoke. It is too heavy for me to carry. But in order to hand that burden over to Him, I must trust Him with the picture I have for my life! It is actually so much grander than the one I have on so many more levels. This is what faith looks like in the nitty gritty. I had no idea.
I don't think Jesus is enough. His plans for me aren't what I want. I want to fix them. I work & pry. I manipulate & squeeze, trying to force my plan on others. But I wear myself out as well as them, & I make myself miserable! Click To TweetCome to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,
for I am gentle and lowly in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”Matthew 11:28-30 ESV
That’s interesting, Martha. How is a rain dance, in which dancers perform dances asking the Creator to send rain, different from having multiple prayer meetings to pray for rain? I’m curious.
Jeannie (next door to you at #39 this week)
in a prayer meeting, we are praying to the GOD of the Bible, for the most part, and are submitting ourselves to His providence in terms of when and how He chooses to answer. our standing that makes us able to pray to this holy God is based on the work of Jesus done on the cross to pay for our sin on the cross.
my understanding of the person that those who do rain dances to, is a much more universal, generic god, made in the image of those who are praying to him/her. i could be wrong, but most of the descriptions i have heard of the gods being prayed/danced to in a rain dance often differ from the GOD described in the Bible.
I’ve always been fascinated by rain dances.
glad you came by tara:)