April 23

For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it. — Isa 55:10-11 BSB

We all know how refreshing rain is, especially when it falls on a dry, withered field. It soaks into the roots of dying grass, fading flowers, and drooping trees, and before long, new life bursts forth everywhere. The grass turns greener, the flowers bloom again, and all of nature is renewed. In the same way, when God’s Word comes to a weary, struggling life, it brings revival.

Sometimes the rain comes in the form of a storm, with dark clouds, lightning, and thunder. People may be scared as they watch the storm, but once it’s over, the land is refreshed and full of life again. God’s Word can come to us like this, too—through sickness, loss, disappointment, or sorrow. At first, we may be afraid of these storms, but when they pass, we often find that they brought us God’s richest blessings.