"Dry"

The dry spell lasted longer,

Than we ever thought it would,

Grass grew even shorter,

That we ever thought it could.

We asked which ones we’re sellin’,

And which horses we would keep,

And every night we asked the Lord,

Before we went to sleep,

If in His will He’d see a way,

To send us needed rain,

We knew He heard and answered prayer,

We asked for that again.

But that old sun would shine so fierce,

And dry wind blew each day,

And when the clouds would show up dark,

The wind blew them away.

Old-timers said this ain’t that dry,

But sure seemed dry to me,

I guess I got too tired to hear,

‘Bout how it used to be.

I grew to hate the weather man,

Well, maybe hate’s too strong,

A word for someone I don’t know,

And blamin’ him was wrong.

But there really wasn’t anyone,

To blame the dry spell on,

Just keep on doing what you can,

To try to get along.

One day the sky grew darker,

The air grew very still,

And in the distance, thunder,

Do you think it really will?

And pretty soon the wind blew,

And I hoped not again,

Instead of blowing it away,

This time would bring them in.

And that’s just what has happened,

At first just dropped a few,

But soon it all came drizzling down,

To make the pastures new.

And I praise God He sent it,

And asked forgiveness, too,

For doubting He would do it,

And bless this worn-out crew.

He is the God who hears us,

Though dry times are a test,

We can pray and trust Him,

To give us what is best.

“O God, You are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for You; my whole body longs for You in this parched and weary land where there is no water…” (Psalm 63:1, NLT)

Dry times are hard times, and it’s really been dry here. All across the western states, people are making hard decisions about selling livestock because it’s been so dry. Last May (2021) we had twenty-eight days of rain in a row. Parts of our place flooded and we had to move the horses, but no water got into our house. This May the prediction was about fourteen days of rain, but none came. It’s raining here right now as I write this devotional, and we are very thankful. But what’s even more important is the thankfulness we feel when God brings us through a spiritually dry time and then waters us with His Holy Spirit. It’s good to remember when things get dry.

Lord, thank You for the rain, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Jack Sorenson, jacksorensonfineart.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Jack, and God bles you.