Editorial

It's impossible not to notice Florida's drought conditions and the wildfires which have been ignited by the dearth of rain in our state, but I got a personal, up-close experience about the magnitude and urgency of the matter this past weekend while traveling to a preaching engagement at the vibrant fellowship at First Baptist Church in Esto in Holmes County.

With Baker, Columbia and Bradford counties consumed with well over 100,000 acres ablaze, parts of Interstate 10 and 75 were closed to traffic and smoke and ash hung in the air for miles and miles as I worked my way around the interstate detours. Having been contacted a few days before my trek through the Panhandle by Rick Shepherd, director of Prayer and Spiritual Awakening for the Florida Baptist Convention, concerning his desire to call for a special day of prayer for rain in our state, the Lord used this experience to remind me just how desperate is our need for Him.

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Led by Shepherd, Florida Baptist Convention leaders have issued an urgent appeal to all the churches in the state to set aside a special time during the Memorial Day weekend, and especially on Sunday, May 27, to focus Florida Baptists' spiritual attention on the physical and spiritual drought that has stricken our state. Shepherd has produced a number of resources to assist churches in this special observance, including bulletin inserts, guides for prayer and fasting, and materials summarizing what Scripture teaches about the weather (see the Florida Baptist Convention Web site for further information: www.flbaptist.org/evangelism/pray_for_rain.htm).

Florida's drought conditions are historic. The Florida Division of Emergency Management's Web site reports that more than 80 percent of the state is experiencing moderate to severe drought conditions, citing the authoritative National Drought Monitor (www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html). In addition to its detrimental impact on agriculture, the drought has made the Sunshine State a tinder box for wildfires with at least 225 blazes consuming 163,118 acres in 57 counties as of a May 13 report issued by the Division of Emergency Management. Since Jan. 1, there have been nearly 2,000 wildfires impacting more than 300,000 acres.

Clearly, our state is in desperate need, but our physical needs are a reminder of our more profound spiritual needs—and Florida Baptists should lead the way to pointing our citizens to the only answer found in the person of Jesus Christ!

In a survey of what the Scriptures have to say about rain and drought, Shepherd notes that God uses weather for maintenance of His creation, to show His mercy, and sometimes to demonstrate a measure of judgment or discipline.

Citing the prophet Jeremiah's prayer, "Are there any among the idols of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are You not He, O Lord our God? Therefore we will wait for You, since You have made all these" (Jer. 14:22), Shepherd notes, "In that case, God did not turn in mercy, but dealt in judgment, but Jeremiah's cry reflects the truth that God is in control over the rain. It also shows us the attitude of heart we must have, knowing it is the Lord who gives rain and provision. We must pray in humble dependence as well as in repentance (as Jeremiah did in 14:19-21).

"Some of God's ways in the weather are for blessing and bounty; some are part of His judgment on nations. It is part of the consequences of living on a fallen earth with a fallen weather system. All will one day be made new. Until then, we must deal with weather as it is, knowing that God uses the weather to refresh, to restore, to rebuke, to reveal Himself in some way, to bring us to reflection, even to repentance. Always the Lord is most concerned for the spiritual and eternal needs of people. He wants us to know the refreshing rain of His Life, the Living Water Jesus promised (John 4:10). Sunny days and stormy days are prayer starters, calling on the Lord for His provision for this day. Times of drought are a call to pray for the spiritual rain of spiritual awakening, for people to recognize the Lord, their sin, and the need to turn to Him. It is also a time to call on Him for the rain waters that are desperately needed."

That God is in control of all things should cause us to faithfully approach Him with our prayers. Concerning the relation of God's providence to prayer, theologian Millard Erickson writes, "The believer can pray confidently, knowing that our wise and good God will give us, not necessarily what we ask for, but what is best. For as the psalmist put it, 'No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly' (Ps. 84:11)." Jesus told His disciples, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!" (Matt. 7:11).

As we remember the valiant efforts of those who have died in service to our nation this Memorial Day weekend, let us remember the spiritual truth that God uses weather calamities to remind us of our dependence on Him. Let us ask Him for rain. Ask the Father to nourish the dry land with rain and the spiritually parched souls with His Spirit. Let us pray.