Showers Of Blessing

“I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing.” Ezekiel 34:26

Who can say, “I will cause showers to come down,” besides God? There is only one Person that can speak to the clouds and cause them to rain. Who sends down the rain upon the earth? Who scatters the showers upon the fields? It is the Lord. So grace is the gift of God and is not created by man. The whole of creation depends on His grace.

What would a farmer do without rain? He may till the land; he may sow his seeds, but what can he do without the rain? Therefore, it is absolutely necessary for us to have the divine blessings of God. Unless God gives the rain and sends salvation, we who labor will labor in vain.

“I will cause showers to come.” It does not say, “I will cause drops to come.” If God gives a blessing, He usually gives it in such a measure that there is not room enough to receive it. It’s God’s abundant grace! We need God’s grace for everything. We need abundant grace to keep us humble, to make us prayerful and to make us holy. We need abundant grace to make us zealous, to preserve us through this life, and at last to land us in heaven. We need to saturate ourselves with showers of grace.

It is also seasonable grace. “I will cause showers to come down in their season” (Ezek. 34:26). What is your season today? Is it a season of drought? Then it is the season for showers—showers of blessings. Is it a season of great heaviness and black clouds? Then it is your season for showers—showers of grace. “As your days, so shall your strength be” (Deut. 33:25).

“There shall be showers of blessing.” The word “showers” is in the plural. God will send all kinds of blessings. All of God’s blessings go together, like links in a chain. If He gives saving grace, He will also give comforting grace. What are you waiting for? Look up toward the heavens today and expect God to shower you with His abundant blessings.

Gratitude To God

“Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?“

Ezekiel 15:2The vine here refers to the people of God. But the question was asked: Why are they by nature better than others? Wasn’t it the goodness of God that caused them to be fruitful? What would they be without Him? Who would they become without the continual influence of the Spirit in them?

There was a certain rich man in the Gospel of Luke whose ground had yielded plentifully. As a result, he thought of pulling down his barns to build a greater one to store his crops and goods. He thought he would have many years to enjoy life and be merry because of the great harvest he had achieved. God called him a “fool” and he died that day instead. Through that, God wanted to show that man cannot live independent of Him. He alone holds the universe and is the Source of all life. Jesus said the man acted like a fool because he was one who “lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (12:21).

Therefore, as we meditate on this thought, let us learn to reject pride and embrace God’s goodness in humility, seeing that we have no ground for self-boasting. Whatever we are, we have nothing on our own to make ourselves proud. For Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

The more you have, the more you are indebted to God. Let us also consider our origin, looking back to where we came from. We would still be in our sin if God had not transformed us. Consider who you would have become had it not been for His grace. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). David rightly puts it this way, “My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps. 73:26). Therefore, let us humble ourselves in the sight of God, knowing that He will lift us up in due course!

You Are A Witness For God

“In their sight you shall bear them on your shoulders and carry them out at twilight; you shall cover your face, so that you cannot see the ground, for I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.” Ezekiel 12:6

The Word of God came upon Ezekiel regarding the approaching captivity of Zedekiah, king of Judah. He was faced with a tough task of convincing his fellowmen that Zedekiah, instead of being their deliverer, would very shortly be taken captive like them. One would think that it might be sufficient if the prophet had only told them the truth in God’s name.

But Ezekiel had to prepare the people for the prophecy by first giving a sign of it; to speak it to their eyes first, and then to their ears. This was because they were a group of stubborn and rebellious people who would not take heed if no deep impression was made upon them. As such, Ezekiel had to speak to them through his own life.

To make a lasting impression, Ezekiel deliberately moved his entire household during the day in front of all the people, and left the city through a hole he dug by himself. He had to carry all his possessions upon his own shoulders, and steal away at evening in their sight, with fear and trembling, covering his face as if being ashamed of being seen or known. By doing so, Ezekiel was making himself a “sign” to the people.

Ezekiel’s prophecy was a reflection of how Zedekiah, the king of Judah, and his people would be led away into captivity. They would make a vain attempt for escape, but would nevertheless end up in captivity. In the same way that Ezekiel had carried his possessions and goods upon his own shoulders, Zedekiah would do likewise. He would be made a prisoner and be carried captive into Babylon.

Ezekiel’s life speaks of ready obedience to the orders of God. As a minister of God, he was willing to go through the most difficult and inconvenient tasks. He serves as an example for us to:

(1) Obey with cheerfulness every command of God, even if it is most inconvenient;

(2) Do all we can for the saving of the souls of others; (3) Allow ourselves to be affected by those things we desire to affect others. Your life is often a testimony and a sign for people around you. Jesus says, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Jesus didn’t say you will do witnessing, but He said you will be witnesses. When others see your good works, they will glorify your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16).

Jesus demonstrated the righteousness of God and His love for us when He shed His blood on Calvary’s cross. Therefore let us avail ourselves as Jesus did, to serve not ourselves, but others.

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