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Pastor-to-People
From my home near Albuquerque Academy I cross the Rio Grande often coming to and going from RRPC. Like everyone I have watched it shrink before my eyes recently. The weather person on television noted that we have not had appreciable rain or snow since
November. Five months, almost 150 days without rain! That will shrink the Rio Grande. Right now the Bosque is bone dry and so are our parks. Our trees and plants are all
very thirsty about now. And we all should be concerned, not least for the fire danger that poses. Climate change is for real, and we are sadly getting hotter and drier, especially in the semi-arid Southwest. Normally we only get about nine inches of rain per year. Right now we are at zero inches of rain for 2025. So maybe we need to pray for rain. Really!
When Solomon dedicates the Temple, he has a long prayer in which he asks that God will "grant rain on your land, which you have given to your people" (I Kings 8:35-36). Also the prophet Zechariah 10:1 proclaims: "Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, who gives showers of rain to you, the vegetation
of the field to everyone." The Psalmist rejoices in the rain the Lord provides: "Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad"(68:9).
Now I am perfectly aware that our rain follows certain meterological patterns. But I am also aware that God is good and looks down on our drought with mercy. So let's do something that is a step of faith: let's pray for rain. I plan to make that part of my Lenten discipline. Will you?
Finally, please note that our Presbytery Earth Care Committee is holding a conference at New Life Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque on Saturday April 26 from 10am-1pm on the water crisis in New Mexico. We will advertise this later this month (hoping it does not interfere with your
generous shopping at our Church Yard Sale that Saturday!).
So will you join me in praying that the Lord bring this parched land "showers of blessing"?
Peace and hope,
Frank
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