My grandparents had a farm in Indiana and although they would never have wanted to be thought of as gamblers, I think farmers are about the biggest gamblers on the planet. Or maybe they just get used to trusting God in practical ways many of us can’t fathom.
I’ve gained a whole new appreciation for farmers since my husband and I have been converting eight acres of tornado-decimated woods into pastures. After the fallen trees were removed and the land was bulldozed, my hard-working husband—the one who’s supposed to be enjoying his “retirement”—was out on those fields nearly every day in the hot sun picking up rocks and sticks so grass could be planted.
“Where are all the convicts when you need them?” I asked. “Aren’t there any guys in orange jumpsuits who need to do community service hours?”
Apparently not, so I got up one morning and decided to lay aside my own to-do list and help Joe. I lasted one hour, concluding that if God had wanted me to pick up so many rocks and sticks, He would’ve given me a better back.
After some scheduling delays, the grass seed finally got planted. We even got a nice rain shower within a day or two. Then, however, the heavens dried up. Our crusty, barren fields looked like they’d been baked in a potter’s kiln.
I haven’t prayed so much for rain since I was a summer tennis instructor and wanted some days off. But a lot more hung in the balance this time because we’d put a lot of money into this pasture project and without enough rain, it would be doomed.
God so often doesn’t do things the way we would. (And all God’s people said, “Amen!”) We prayed for rain; what we got was no rain and near record-breaking heat for days and days.
I reminded God, just in case He forgot, that our money is really His money and His money was fixin’ to be wasted if we didn’t get some rain.
Ever heard the expression, “We plan and God laughs”? I’m pretty sure He was chuckling.
But during that very dry, hot spell, Joe said he wanted to tell me something he thought I’d like. He shared with me that on one recent morning, he was praying especially fervently for two things: rain on our property and for our grandchildren to know and walk with God.
Joe said that immediately after his prayer time, he opened a daily devotional book and the reading for that day included Isaiah 44:3, which says, “For I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and my blessing on your descendants.”
Whoa.
What are the odds that such personally relevant promises from God would be included in the devotional dated specifically for that month and day and that Joe would read it immediately after he’d just asked God for the two specific things mentioned in it?
Throughout this whole process, I’m sure that growing my faith has been a higher priority for God than growing my grass. I won’t lie, faith-stretching is uncomfortable. But how gracious it was for Him to use that verse in Isaiah to reassure me and Joe that He’s real and He hears us. That’s why His Word truly is “living and active” (see Hebrews 4:12).
God knows what we really need and for starters, Hebrews 11:6 says we need to believe He’s real and that He rewards those who seek Him. I do believe that.
Rain eventually fell and there are now tiny, tiny blades of grass breaking through the dirt on our fields. Every time I see it, I’m reminded that God can make anything grow. Even me.