Rain, Rain, Go Away!

It is almost the middle of June and the wheat is almost ready for harvest. We should be having the classic hot dry days of Kansas late spring/early summer; but not this year! Record rainfalls have been recorded through the middle of the state, Oklahoma City is a river, and there have been deadly flash floods in Arkansas and Louisiana. Too much rain at the wrong time. Now, I won't be a shouter of doom and gloom, I have seen numerous wet years, when harvest time is here; I distinctly remember a time when I was in early High School, I overheard a conversation between a couple of local farmers, one who was a John Deere owner swear that his weeds were so tall in his wheat field that when he got off his tractor and walked 20 feet from it, the tractor had disappeared. I don't know if it's true, but that's what he said. It is sad and frustrating to the farmer, and all involved when you can stand on the road and look at the field and see that the field is ripe to harvest, yet can't get into the field because it is too wet. And there is more rain in the forecast.

We all run into periods like this in our lives where we just seem to get 'rained on' every day. Maybe it's at work, that co-worker who always seems to want to share those unwanted 'dirty jokes', or that supervisor (stuporvisor) that can't seem to make up their mind which way they want you to go with the project. Maybe it's the friends at work that don't understand why you don't want to go hang out with them after work at the bar (maybe you do want to, but know it wouldn't just stop there). Maybe it's at home. Whatever it is, there is a period of rain storms every day that just seem wear you down.

The Israelites had their 'rainy seasons' too. Now, they could blame it on their Kings, but I have to lay it at all of their feet. They disobeyed God. He had warned them:

⁹ Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. ¹⁰ But
       those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction;
       he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him.

 ¹¹ Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today. (Deut 7:9-11 NIV)

He gave them many chances, yet they would 'fall away' from His love, come back, fall away again. They were no different from us as we sometimes think. They worked hard at their jobs, came home and helped out there too. They had the same wants and desires that we have; better clothes, more income, easier lifestyle. We too have been 'called out' from the world as a special group of people (2 Cor 6:14-18), to be a 'light unto the world'(Matt 5:14). Yet, we too slip up on the requirements (maybe we even balk at them) to be a Holy, Separate, People:

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." (2 Cor 6:14-16, Lev 26:12, Jer 32:38, Ezek 37:27 NIV)

"But", you might ask, "how can we be a light to the world, if we are to be separate from it"? Hey, it's not easy, I know. The Israelites didn't do so well either. God gave them specific commands (mitzvot) not to intermarry (yoke yourselves with unbelievers), give treaty of friendship, or worship other gods (Deut 7:3-4, Exodus 20:3-4), yet they did. Even after they returned from 70 years of exile in Babylon, rebuilt the Temple and worshiped in it, when Ezra came to the Temple he found even some of the Priests (of the line of Aaron, as he was) were married to locals, and allowed their sons and daughters to do the same (Ezra 9:1-2).

If you read the story of Ezra (ch. 9-10) you will find that he was beyond very upset (Ezra 9:3-4), so much so that he was tearing his garment(a show of extreme distress) and cloak (even more extreme), pulling hair from his head and beard (ouch, more distress), prostrating himself before the Temple and weeping for the people, laying out and confessing their sins, praying that they be forgiven and not destroyed (Ezra 9:13-15). What happened next is what all ministers, and leaders hope and pray for in times like this; one man named Shecaniah (his name means Yaw has taken his abode) steps up out of the congregation there, and takes responsibility for the situation and the people, offers a solution (the only solution that will really work) and tells Ezra "Get up, this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it"(Ezra 10:4 NIV). The result? The Israelites (including the Priests) did separate themselves from the locals, and the country of Israel continued to exist for another 400 plus years.

How about us? How are we to 'be a light to the world, yet be separate from it'? Tough balancing act to maintain; there is in us that innate desire to be liked by our friends and co-workers, yet we need to live out our faith and be a testament to our Savior. I refer you to the Gospel of Matthew 5:15–16; we are not to hide the light that is within us, but are to:

"Instead they put it on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matt 5:15-16 NIV)

Does that mean if that annoying dude that revels in the filthy jokes tells you one more, you whap him up the side of the head with your Bible? No, (although that sounds like he just might deserve it) just let him know that you do not find it funny or comfortable having those kind of jokes told around you, or tell your 'friends' that you really don't want to join in the regular 'gossip fest' (refer to 2 Cor 6:14, above). Eventually they will get the picture and either leave you alone (did you really need friends like that anyway?), or their lives can change and your life will get better (I know, this has happened to me). Besides, what better job can we have except to 'be a light before men, that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven'? (Matt 5:16 NIV) Here we are planting seed for a harvest that won't get flooded out, that will produce a yield of uncalculatable amount and results (and you won't lose your tractor in the field).

 

Now, Chaverim, add perseverance to your faith (2 Peter 1:5-8) and prepare for the harvest, the ground will soon dry out.

 

Barukh HaShem