[notice]A monthly column by farmer, preacher and writer for Jesus, Angus Buchan[/notice]
I was recently so privileged to be in one of the most beautiful cities in South Africa. It was with great expectation that we gathered together, as the people of God, to ask the Lord to bring us rain. God, as always, was extremely faithful and he brought the life giving rain.
God reminded me of an account that took place in my life when my older son was still at university. About twenty years ago, we were growing seed maize on the farm. All our eggs were in one basket so to speak, and we were dependant on this crop of seed maize to continue our farming operation. We had many commitments: our Children’s Home had started, and including our own five children, we had many little ones to feed, clothe and educate. At the same time, I was privileged to be speaking at a few meetings around the country. We were experiencing a terrible drought, the maize was knee high. Every single morning I would ride around my lands and by 9a.m. the maize crop would look like onions, turning a grey color and twisting. I was extremely concerned. Andy, who was studying Agriculture, came home for a few days and he strongly urged Jill and I to take a few days off, while he would watch over the farm. There is not much that you can do in a drought as any farmer will tell you.
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Andy drove around the farm the next day and he stopped the pick-up in the middle of the field. He got on his knees and prayed asking the Lord to please send rain. He is a young man who loves God with a passion. A few hours later, huge black clouds came up from the North West where our rain comes from at Shalom and Andy became excited and grateful. He drove out to the middle of the lands with the pick-up and he watched the clouds come up. Huge big drops of rain started to fall on the farm and he was absolutely ecstatic! He started to thank God for answered prayer. However, just as the big drops of rain started falling, the wind came up from the East. It split the storm in two; one half went up into the mountains and the other half went the other way. The sun came out again and continued to shrivel up the maize crop. He went back to the farm office, totally despondent and disheartened. He walked into the farm office and saw his Bible still lying on the table where he had been reading it earlier that morning. He continued to read the book of Ecclesiastes 11:4 “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.” My young son shed tears and asked God to forgive him for looking in the wrong place for his provision.
The next morning, he woke up with gentle rain falling on the farm. That crop was one of the best crops that I have ever reaped in my life! The moral of the story is, if we look to the elements, our employers, our businesses or even our relatives for our provision, we will be disappointed, our provision comes from God alone. He is after all, the Rain Maker and you and I who believe, are His children. He says clearly in Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto me and I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things of which you do not know”. Let us continue to trust God and let us continue to believe in faith. He will not disappoint us.
