“Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in
due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”
I Peter 5:5-7 NIV
We all experience anxiety at times. Our current political and economic conditions cause much uncertainty. The drought conditions in Texas
cause great concern not only for farmers and ranchers but also for those of us who like to eat. Ranchers are selling off their cattle because
there’s nothing left in the pastures to feed them. Chickens are dropping dead from the extreme heat. Areas along the Mississippi, the bread
basket of our nation, have been flooded and more farm land was destroyed by tornados. Late frosts devastated much of the citrus crops. In
addition to that, our butcher told us he can’t get green chilies from New Mexico and watermelons from California because they’re rotting on
the vines for lack of people to get out and pick them. Every time we go to the grocery store, prices are higher and higher. So what can we do?
We are told to “Cast all our anxiety on Him because He cares for (us).” God the great shepherd loves us and “is most careful” with us (The Message). That doesn’t mean we won’t have difficulties. Yesterday as we visited one of our senior members, we discussed the great drought
in Texas in the 1950’s. Fred was the CEO of a large dairy, and the dairy farmers suffered tremendously during that time. Elmer Kelton’s book
The Time it Never Rained, painted a personalportrait of the plight of West Texas ranchers during that time. On our mission trip to Marfa, TX,
I was fascinated by the history of the area. Big beautiful churches, the magnificent court house, and the famous Paisano Hotel, were all built
during the time when ranching was king in Texas, before the drought of the 50’s. Now those big, beautiful churches sit empty or almost empty.
And we all know about the drought of the 30’s, better known as the Dust Bowl.
II Chronicles 7:14 tells us, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their
wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land” (NKJV).
I received this beautiful prayer written by Father W. Schneider in Fredericksburg during the terrible drought in the 1950’s:
Almighty God, we are in need of rain. We realize now, looking up into the clear, blue sky above, what a marvel even the least drop of rain really
is. To think that so much water can fall out of the sky, which now is empty and clear! We place our trust in You. We are sure that You know
our needs, but You want us to ask You anyway, to show You that we know we are dependent on You. Look on our dry hills and fields, dear
God, and bless them with the living blessing of soft rain. Then the land will rejoice and the rivers will sing Your praises and the hearts of men
will be glad. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.
My prayer for us today is that we will humble ourselves before God. May we fall on our faces in repentant sorrow for our sins and the sins of
our “Christian” nation. May we faithfully pray for one another, seeking forgiveness for ourselves and others so God will bring healing for our
land. Whatever anxieties, fears, hurts we may be carrying, may we give God our burdens and allow Him to give us rest. May we do all we
can to lift the heavy load others are carrying. And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
