Praying for rain, peace

Friday, July 20, 2012
The Rev. Gary Brethour

As I sit down to write this article Sunday evening, I have looked at the forecast for this week now coming to an end as you read the newspaper on Friday evening. Forecast: HOT and DRY. Really HOT. Rats!! People have joked about rain dances, washing the car, or leaving the laundry out on the close line in the yard in the hopes of "making it rain."

Allow me to make an observation. Remember the horrible events of September 11, 2001? Remember the weeks following the attack on our nation? Remember the rise in not only patriotism, but also the renewed vigor and interest in prayer and worship of God. The local churches were noticeably more crowded and intense in their prayer. People were requesting additional prayer services. They had an urgent need to find comfort and security gathered together with each other in prayer.

Since the attacks on 9/11, we have experienced many things, including a difficult drought a few years ago and now renewed dry, hot weather here in Southwest Nebraska. My question is: Do we really trust in God, or simply ourselves? Do we really want peace? Do we really want an end to the drought? Why aren't the churches packed to overflowing?

God does not cause disasters and diseases. But God may allow them to occur in order to "wake us up" and get us to obey and worship Him again. Just like the Israelites in the Old Testament, we so quickly and easily slip back into are old ways and false gods.

These naturally occurring weather events of this fallen world show us we are not in charge. We need to rely on God: to repent, obey and worship Him. God's desire is for us - for our hearts. Just what does it take for mankind in general, and for you and me in particular, to turn to God with all our hearts?

St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians gives us a real gem of wisdom about what our lives are about. "In Him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of His will, so that we might exist for the praise of His glory, we who first hoped in Christ." (Eph 1: 11-12.)

Our immortal souls are created by God out of nothing, for the express purpose of sharing His life and love. This naturally means that we worship God and praise Him. To not fulfill this innate need to worship God will result in all kinds of frustration and destructive behavior while we are on this earth, and eternal frustration in the next life if we so persist. We were made to obey, praise and worship God. (This means all of the commandments and beatitudes, especially the "tough ones.")

Yes, we can pray alone in our homes. And I hope we do. But there is something unique and powerful about the family of God, the Church, being gathered together in prayer to praise and worship God each Sunday. "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in their midst." (Matthew 18:20.) Also one of the 10 Commandments comes to mind: "Keep holy the Lord's Day." It is just the way God made us. He wants us to worship, to sacrifice, and to pray to Him together as the family of God on His chosen day.

Keep in mind that Satan knows God exists. Satan is what he is, a fallen angel, because he would not worship or obey God. When we do not worship, we make ourselves like the beasts of this earth (cows, pigs, frogs, etc.) that are not able to worship God. Or, worse yet, we act like the fallen angels (Satan and his followers) who could have, but choose not to worship. That is far below the dignity God has in mind for each of us -- to live as a child of God now and in eternity.

Please worship this weekend at the church of your preference here in Southwest Nebraska. What would it be like if every person lifted up their heart and joined their brothers and sisters in Christ to worship this Sunday? Pray for rain and peace!

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