The rain of blessing

This week's verses are Isaiah 55:10-11:

The rain and snow fall from the sky
and do not return,
but instead water the earth
and make it produce and yield crops,
and provide seed for the planter and food for those who must eat.
In the same way, the promise that I make
does not return to me, having accomplished nothing.
No, it is realized as I desire
and is fulfilled as I intend.”

  God's word is like the rain that waters the seed and makes it grow. It will achieve the purpose for which God sent it. The words do not return void, but function and are designed to function. They are just as much a part of God's creation as the rain and snow.

In the chapter these verses are taken from, the words God is sharing are promises of forgiveness and restoration. He isn't just saying things because he likes the sound of them. God's words are truth, and they are reflected in the reality around us.

The problem is that the things that enable us to hear and read God's word are not always things we want to do. Maybe we pray and don't get the impression that it is answered right away. Maybe we read the Bible but it's kind of boring and we don't necessarily understand it all. Our natural inclination is to shift away from those activities to ones we find more entertaining or where we can see quick results.

But if we don't put ourselves in a situation where we could encounter God's word, how are we supposed to see it come to fruition? What if the prophets had never written down the prophesies that hadn't yet happened? What if Samuel had just gone back to bed? What if, before the printing press, monks had only copied down the verses they found interesting or which they could find life applications for? 

We should expose ourselves more to God's word, both written and spoken. It is healthy and good and causes God's will to be done in the world. This is the secret benefit that prayer and Bible reading bring us. Hearing and reading God's word is not time wasted but corrective medicine for our lifelong condition.