Wednesday, December 7, 2016

by Catherine Carter

Psalm 147:1-11
Praise the Lord! How good it is to sing praises to our God; for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting. The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. The Lord lifts up the downtrodden; he casts the wicked to the ground. Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre. He covers the heavens with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, makes grass grow on the hills. He gives to the animals their food, and to the young ravens when they cry. His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner; but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.

At the time of this writing, Georgia is suffering from a devastating drought. The psalmist praises God for veiling “the sky in clouds and prepares rain for the earth”. The hills are clothed with grass and green plants for cattle and for man.

But today we are seeing thousands of acres scorched by fire and people broken in spirit as their homes and workplaces burn.

Maybe by the time these advent devotionals are read, the many prayers for rain will have been answered and we will be praising God for the blessing of rain.