“I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.” Ezekiel 34:26
A few days ago, I went through my morning routine and then headed to work. It had snowed overnight and was still snowing, so I took my time driving. However, my brain was filled with all that was to happen that day. I was mentally preparing for a meeting later that morning, wondering about another appointment that day, and was running through my to-do list. I was stopped at a red light when it suddenly dawned on me that beautiful snowflakes were gently falling all around me. Not a hard, blowing snow that makes driving difficult. Rather, these were pieces of white lace decorating my windshield and dancing in the air all around my car. At that moment, the thought occurred to me that these were just like God’s graces. They are always falling all around me. Always. Sometimes I notice them and revel in their beauty but most of the time I don’t. Even if I do notice, I too often take them for granted, or think I somehow deserve these wonderful graces He lavishes on me.
Since that morning, I’ve been thinking of this verse. It sits in a chapter that talks about what God has promised to do for His sheep. There are so many promises in this section of scripture! Promises of protection and provision and peace and prosperity. These are just some of the blessings He has promised to rain down on us. How is it, then, that we don’t always experience those things? It would be easy to look at these verses and say that God has promised that nothing bad will ever happen to us but we all know that’s not true. Sometimes it seems we’re not protected, or we don’t have what we need, or our world is filled with turmoil, or the coffers are running low. So how do we reconcile these facts with the truth of God’s word? We need to remember that as a general rule, the Old Testament (where this is found) is external while the New Testament is internal. Take a look at the promises again. He will protect our minds and our hearts, He will provide for our souls, He will give us inner peace that passes all understanding, and He will give us a spiritual richness that cannot be described. He doesn’t give us just a little bit of each of these. They will fall in showers of blessings. Not a trickle. Not even a small stream. A shower.
This verse also says that He gives showers in season. He knows when we’re going to need an extra measure of a certain grace and at that time, He pours it out. Do you need extra peace today? God is sending it. Or maybe you don’t know it yet, but you’re going to need extra protection tomorrow. That’s okay. God knows it and He’ll send it. Not today because you don’t need it today. He’ll send it at the right time. So let’s open our eyes to the graces, the blessings falling all around us. Slow down and take the time to recognize all that God has done and is doing for you. Be ready to celebrate how He’s going to provide tomorrow. And thank Him for His many, many blessings, the showers of blessings falling all around us!