Drink rain, bear fruit, be blessed…..

When we receive God’s rain, we bear beautiful fruit

 

 

Hebrews 6:7 “Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God.”

Who doesn’t want to be blessed by God? I can’t imagine anything better. To be “blessed” by the Creator of the Universe, the Author of Life, the Alpha and Omega, the Great I Am. To be blessed by that One, we must bring Him pleasure. That begs the question, “What pleases God?”

According to Hebrews chapter 6, pleasing God is twofold. First, it pleases God when we drink in the rain often falling on us. Second, it pleases God when we produce fruit that is useful to those that God entrusted us to feed. When we do both of these things, then we will be blessed by God.

What is this rain that is falling on us? I believe the rain of God can come in many different forms. He rains truth on us through the reading of His word. He speaks new growth into our lives through the pages of Scripture. He rains power on us when we fellowship with the Holy Spirit. When we walk in His presence and spend time listening to His still, small voice, we get drenched by the rain of God. He rains his pleasure on us when we worship Him; we are blessed when we bless God. He rains his purpose on us when we serve in our place in the Body of Christ.

When we place ourselves in position to receive rain from the Lord, then we increase our likelihood of producing good fruit. What is the fruit that we should be producing? Again, I think the answer is twofold. First, this fruit is character that is growing in Christlikeness. Second, the fruit is people. The fruit of godliness grows in us as a result of our soaking in the rain of God. We become Jesus people; people who reflect God’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). And then, like gremlins, we multiply! We make more Jesus people. We plant seeds of truth and grace and love in people’s lives, and they come to know Him and desire to please Him too.

Ironically, the blessing is in us, in our work, in other people, and then in their work. The blessing is in the being and the doing and the becoming and the knowing. When we become fruitful land, we can think of nothing more wonderful than bearing more fruit to bless the Gardener and the spiritually hungry. And then, when we see people nourished and growing in their faith, we cannot imagine any better blessing: “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy” (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20).

Drink the Rain.

Produce the Fruit.

Receive the Blessing.