Blessings in the Weather
Oregon’s first official weather recording was done at Fort Vancouver on January 8, 1851. What lessons can we learn from the weather?
We all enjoy sunny weather but our lush forests couldn’t thrive without plenty of rainy days. If the trees could talk, they would tell us how much they enjoy the rain.
The Bible mentions weather many times. The first is in Genesis 2.6: “…a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.” Later rain began to pour, causing Noah’s flood. Jesus spoke of weather and used it to point out a spiritual lesson of preparation for His second coming: “You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky but you cannot interpret the signs of the times” (Matthew 16.3).
A warning against being overly cautious is found in the weather-commenting passage of Ecclesiastes 11.4: “Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.” It is easy to come up with excuses to procrastinate important tasks, but the point of this verse is to take action. Don’t borrow trouble from tomorrow.
One thing about weather is that we can’t control it. The gospel of John points this out and reminds us that God is like this. “The wind blows wherever it pleases,” said Jesus to Nicodemus. “You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So is everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3.8).
This fact that we can’t control God may scare us, but that is part of the adventure of living by faith. If God can guide us better than we can ourselves, why don’t we let Him take the driver’s seat? Learning to trust is a major part of preparation for heaven.
The Bible compares precipitation to the power of God’s Word. “As the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, … so is my word that goes out from my mouth. It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire…” (Isaiah 55.10, 11).
If we receive the Word like the earth receives rain, our lives can enjoy spiritual growth. The weather brings blessings and lessons.