Showers of Blessing
Beginning 70 years ago, in 1956, our church began hosting a Sunday afternoon singing on the fourth Sunday in May. It is always a delight. Last Sunday we began with the 1883 hymn “There Will Be Showers of Blessings” by D. W. Whittle. The hymn was perfect because God always sends showers of blessings. We breathe. Our hearts beat. We love and receive love, especially from Him. We could name a million blessings.
There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain. — Refrain
There shall be showers of blessing:
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come and now honor Thy Word. — Refrain
There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God, we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call! — Refrain
Another reason the song was perfect on Sunday was that, after weeks of no rain, we had been getting showers, and sometimes downpours, for days. The day before I had taken after-the-rain photos to share with you.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
so that you may be sons
of your Father who is in heaven;
for He causes His sun to rise
on the evil and the good,
and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matthew 5:44-45
“Let my teaching drop as the rain,
My speech distill as the dew,
As the droplets on the fresh grass
And as the showers on the herb.”
Deuteronomy 32: 2
You visit the earth and cause it to overflow;
You greatly enrich it;
The stream of God is full of water;
You prepare their grain,
for thus You prepare the earth.
You water its furrows abundantly,
You settle its ridges,
You soften it with showers,
You bless its growth.
Psalm 65:9-10
Are there any among the idols
of the nations who give rain?
Or can the heavens grant showers?
Is it not You, O Lord our God?
Therefore we hope in You,
For You are the one who has done all these things.
Jeremiah 14:22
He causes the vapors
to ascend from the ends of the earth;
Who makes lightnings for the rain,
Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries.
Psalm 135:7
Therefore be patient, brethren,
until the coming of the Lord.
The farmer waits for the precious produce
of the soil, being patient about it,
until it gets the early and late rains.
James 5:7
Ask rain from the Lord
at the time of the spring rain—
The Lord who makes the storm clouds;
And He will give them showers of rain,
vegetation in the field to each man.
Zechariah 10:1
I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing.
And I will cause showers to come down in their season;
they will be showers of blessing.
Ezekiel 34:26