Traveling around Atlanta recently I came across a sign on a marquee at a church building encouraging us to pray for rain. Then, watching the nightly news on a local newscast, the anchors were talking about someone calling in and talking about the need to “pray for rain.”

Due to the drought we are in, we have heard many calls to pray for rain, and the jokes are coming fast and furious. We are in a drought because “preachers are not praying enough,” and “preachers aren’t praying enough because we pay them to much.” Maybe there is some truth to those statements, but let me encourage you to think about this in light of some Biblical viewpoints.

We remember in 1 Kings 17-19 that Israel went through a three year drought, brought on by Elijah’s bold prayer asking God that it not rain (James 5:17-18). Why would a man pray for no rain for three years? Did he want to hurt his people in a society that was definitely agrarian? Why would a man pray for something he knew would hurt people?

Elijah was a man whose heart was for God’s people, and who knew that the only way the people would come back to God is if they suffered and saw that they depended on God for daily needs. The drought was to wake the people up to the plight they got themselves in for not trusting in God. It was a siren call for them to repent, and come back to God. It was only after the showdown with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel did Elijah pray that it would rain again, and the land received the needed water for the animals and fruit.

In Haggai 1:9-11 God condemned the remnant that returned for their failure to build him a temple. Notice what he said to them, “ . . .You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts. "Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. 11 For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands." (NKJV). Again, the drought was given to make his people wake up to their responsibilities and do what he expected them to do.

In Jeremiah 17:7-8, however, God gives assurances to those who trust in the Lord. He says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought "(NKJV).

I am not a prophet, and I cannot speak for God except for what he says in his word. But since this drought started, and since the water restrictions have come down hot and heavy, I have wondered if God is trying to get our attention as well. Can we not see that we depend on him for our daily sustenance, and that we cannot make it without him? Further, when we see how much we depend on him for everything in our lives, can we not then see that we must depend on him for our salvation as well? Finally, as he promised those in Jeremiah, he is telling us that if we trust him we will be richly blessed.

As we continue in this drought, stop for a moment and think about how much WE ALL need God! Trust in him, and pray for rain!