Holy Spirit

RAIN, Rain, rain!!

After months of no rain in our dry season here in Nicaragua, we celebrated the first heavy rainfall this Rainy Season!! (Yes, it did rain a little a few days ago, but ended all too soon.) (Oh yes, and the outrageously curious hail storm a couple of weeks ago!! hmmm, explain that one with temps up to 103 degrees?!)

Well, last night we had a great, heavy downpour. Hallelujah!!! I was up at the orphanage in El Crucero, and the children were so excited! There has not been a supply of clean running water at the home for about two months now. We have had to fill up buckets and barrels from the end of the street, or drive down to get it in town by the barrels. After going to flush a toilet for so many weeks with nothing happening or turning on the taps for a shower with no results it was such an extravagance for the children to go outside last night and enjoy their first shower in ages! (They have been bathed in the mean time!) It warmed my heart to see their excitement as they went out with their shampoo - they were all smiles. I wish I had been able to capture it with my camera; it was a truly precious sight!

On the subject of rain, and my prayers for The Holy Spirit to reign/ rain down on us, I woke up this morning with a longing to see The Holy Spirit. I have an image in my mind about how God The Father looks, and of how God The Son, Jesus, looks, but The Holy Spirit, hmm, I wasn't getting a picture at all. I confess to actually doing a Google search for descriptions of The Holy Spirit. There were several responses posted, but there was one that caught my attention. Below is an excerpt from it, and a photo I'd like to share with you that gave me a mental image of The Holy Spirit. Mighty and Powerful, flowing freely, cleansing, refreshing, and providing life. As we move into our Rainy Season, I pray for an outpouring of The Holy Spirit, a harvest of Souls for God's Kingdom, a revival in the church for God's people. I will be reminded of this with every drop of rain that falls.

"God described the restoration of His people using the language of rain to illustrate the work of the Spirit: “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants” (Isa. 44:3, NIV; cf. Eze. 39:29; Isa. 32:15; 44:3). In Joel, after announcing the coming of the early and latter rains, God added, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions" (Joel 2:28, 29, NIV). "

Praise be to God! May your will be done, not mine. Amen!