Devotionals

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Counting Your Blessings


…For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.

Matthew 5:45 (NLT)

As children many of us were taught to count our blessings and to be grateful for what we had. Even in our youth we often overlooked some of the more important blessings as they were generally taken for granted. One such blessing was rain.

Oklahoma, though visited with past histories of drought, at times fail to recognize the blessings of rain. The summer of 2011 with more than 60 consecutive days of 100 F degree temperatures or better without rain reminded Oklahomans how much of a blessing rain actually is.

During the drought 2011, farmers and those planting vegetable garden that regularly brought produce to local farmer’s markets did so with far less produce. Some produce was non-existent, small, limp or wrinkled. The most common explanation was: “It’s the drought. We did our best daily watering but God’s rain is the best for crops.””

Five City of Shawnee workers were sitting under a large oak tree in 100 F degree heat at around 10:00 AM on a coffee break. Though hot coffee was made available, each laid back on the trunk of the tree. Each man commented about the heat and the lack of rain.

A cloud appeared without fanfare. Within forty minutes or so there was a rumbling sound. “Was it thunder? Nah! Even if it is thunder, this is Oklahoma. We’ve heard thunder before without a drop of water.” By 11: 30 AM, the sky had darkened with lightening darting across heavens. The rain came down gently then finally as a downpour. Each man stood up but did not try to get out of the rain. Rather they allowed the water to saturate their entire being. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Lord!” said a young man as he washed his face in the downpour.

In places where rain comes frequently, rain sometimes is not viewed as a blessing. The lack of rain often alerts us as to the value of timely rainfall. The five workers taught this writer a lesson. That is, that weather is under the control of Almighty God—a small example of His power. At least one of them seemed to understand that rain is a blessing from God and thanked Him for his gift. Was he praying for us all? Shouldn’t we thank God daily for His blessings especially those things we do not identify?


Prayer: Almighty Father, thank You for the rain that sustains the life of all living things? We
further thank You for ALL of your blessings and the mercies You rain upon us all
regardless of our spiritual condition. Amen.


Stephen A. Peterson
© 2012

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