I was so grateful to have the fire scanner available over the internet when I learned of a brush fire up home, hours away.  It seems it is now contained at 2am, no structures. I drifted in and out of sleep listening. Normally up home and other places are ‘out of sight out of mind’, but since I knew the close proximity of this fire to some of my family’s land I paid very close attention to social newsfeeds. I thought to myself if I didn’t have family there, I would be as concerned. Yes in prayer, but not riveted to the coverage like tonight. Yes, I prayed!

“I am the Lord your God and there is no other.”

Truly it has been a DRY year. And I’ve been in a grassfire in my youth and I know how quickly they do spread. My friend showed me video of a tree fire at her work from a tossed cigarette. WOW! Quickly fire tears thru. It’s the natural restorative force too for some regions and causes new growth. Also seemingly quick is how the ground recovers, the rain returns, life grows and moves forward. 

With this I connect to the hopeful praises of the Lord for when He has and does and still will be reconnecting and regrowing His people Israel, and for all of us. Joel the prophet says marvelous things for the time and certainly is also prophesy for a forevermore time… Jesus the Bridegroom will return for His Bride… HOLD ON TO THE HOPE. There will be trouble, but fear not, for the Lord has overcome. 

The Lord HAS been paying attention, because we are His family.

For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness.

Be glad and rejoice, For the Lord has done marvelous things!

And also in our lives we have seen correction and complete overhauling. We may have seen some of our things and plans burnt to the ground but surely we have seen RECOVERY 

Now, Lord, we are WAITING for the RAIN in right time! FOR US AND FOR YOUR PEOPLE AND FOR THE LAND. Please Lord!!! It is so dry, send Your Loving rain.

We will get there… He will provide…

And rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you…

Good!!! Thank You Lord!!!

Amen

—

Joel 2:12-27

A Call to Repentance

“Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him— A grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?

Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room. Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”

The Land Refreshed

Then the Lord will be zealous for His land, And pity His people. The Lord will answer and say to His people, “Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil, And you will be satisfied by them; I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.

“But I will remove far from you the northern army, And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land, With his face toward the eastern sea And his back toward the western sea; His stench will come up, And his foul odor will rise, Because he has done monstrous things.”

Fear not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, For the Lord has done marvelous things! Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; For the open pastures are springing up, And the tree bears its fruit; The fig tree and the vine yield their strength. Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you – The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.

“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,

The crawling locust,

The consuming locust,

And the chewing locust,

My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God and there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame.