Our dear Father in heaven, we come to you in this time of great dryness to ask for your blessing upon the land. Bless this parched and dry ground with rain and dew from the heavens that the earth may bring forth her fruit and thereby sustain both man and animal. We look to the heavens everyday, but the heavens seem locked. The grass and the crops shrivel more everyday, the dugouts and bodies of water dry up, the scorching sun and the hot dry winds wring out even more precious moisture from this stressed land.
As we look upon all this we cannot help but begin to think, Are you sending this state of dryness upon the land, O Lord, so that we can compare it to the state of our heart? Is a look upon this dry and parched land a look inside our own heart?
O Father, when you withhold rain from the heavens but for a little while, we groan and protest, and feel unfairly treated, but how many times do we withhold praise from you, because we think we have no time to praise or worship in our busy lives. The dead cannot praise or worship or give you thanks, they are silent. It is our turn now. We who are alive, to praise you and declare your faithfulness, and in that, dear Father we fall far short.
But we admit our shortcomings and daily failings, treat us not as we deserve, or we should shrivel up and blow away in the lightest breeze, but bless us instead with blessings from above. And if it is not in your divine will to send us rain, send us the wisdom, courage, and hope to face whatever lies ahead and let not go of our outstretched hand, guide us and lead us, for we know that no matter how bleak a situation looks you will safely lead us through, and provide such an outcome that we will say, O why did we doubt, It all worked out so much better than we could have hoped for. Strengthen our faith, O Father, grant us grace as we go forward with you as our hope and guide, our Saviour and Redeemer. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
