March 2022 - Overflow Ministries Intl

I Won’t Fear the Rain – Read Gen. 9:13-15

There I sat in my car, completely captivated by the beauty of the brilliant colors that crossed a new crystal blue sky. A few short minutes before, my drive was interrupted by the torrential rains that beat against the windshield and threatened to propel my vehicle into hydroplane mode. The rain was pouring at such a force that I lost all confidence in my ability to drive.

I am not sure when or how I developed such a phobia for driving in hard rains. All I remember is the fear of accident or fatality gripping my heart. I felt compelled to pull to the side of the road and await the clearing of the skies.

As I sat in the aftermath of the storm, I recalled my Bible reading from the day before. It was the account of Noah’s deliverance from the flood. I reached for my Bible in the passenger seat, and I turned again to the passage of promise. Never again, no matter how hard it would rain after Noah and his family left the ark, would they have to worry about their destruction. Just then, I sensed the encouragement of the Holy Spirit as He said, “Í won’t stop the rain in your life, but I will never let it become a flood.”

Someone once said that a bit of rain must fall into every life, and it has been my experience that God does not always stop the deluge of hardship and disappointment. Difficulties are a part of life in a fallen world. However, He promises that He will not allow those rains to wipe us out and destroy who we are.

It has been many years since my encounter with God’s Word on the side of the road, and I am pleased to say that I now face natural and metaphorical rainstorms without fear of devastation. I live on God’s promise that He will never let the rains of my life become a flood. And now I share that same promise with you.

He’s Simply Showing His Work – John 9:1-3

Like the disciples, so often, we see issues in our lives and the lives of others and are tempted to ask, “Lord, who sinned?” Of course, I do not subscribe to the belief that everything that comes into one’s life results from sin. I have lived long enough to know that in this fallen world, life just happens. Yet, despite all our reasoning and knowledge, we seem to be uncomfortable with the idea that something bad, tragic, or seemingly unfair can occur in a person’s life, for which we cannot ascribe a suitable and acceptable explanation.

Many years ago, my husband and I suffered the loss of our first baby through miscarriage. Well-meaning friends sought to comfort us by offering spiritual answers for this painful event. Some friends were like the friends of Job—what they said sounded spiritual, but it was way off base and inconsistent with the person of our God. The fact was that we did not lose our baby because of improper prenatal care, poor health, over-strenuous activity, or unforgiveness in our hearts. It just happened. We don’t know why, but we do know that God’s grace was sufficient to mend our brokenness and bring us to a place of wholeness.

When observing the man born blind, Jesus’ disciples asked, “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” In effect, the disciples were asking, “Who did something wrong to cause this man to be in his current condition?” Jesus’ response is powerful and encouraging. He established that the man’s state had nothing to do with anyone’s behavior but that it would serve as an opportunity for God’s greatness to be manifest for the man and all who would witness his miraculous healing.

Is it just possible that your current condition has nothing to do with wrongdoing or error? Is there a chance that God has allowed it to be so that He can show the greatness of His work? Change your perspective; you just might receive your sight!

A Woman of Good Understanding – Read 1 Sam. 25:2-38

I am blessed to be married to a wise and loving man. But I have sat across the desk from countless women who cannot say the same, which causes great pain to come to my heart. I listen to the plight of these women and watch many of them continue to trust the Lord for change. Their willingness to see both their spouse and themselves gives me a great appreciation for the power of a woman of good understanding.

Abigail was married to a fool. “That’s a bit harsh,” you say? Well, I didn’t call him anything different than what everyone has called him. You see, the Abigail of first Samuel chapter twenty-five was married to Nabal, whose name means dolt, stupid, wicked—a fool. Each time someone called her husband’s name, Abigail was reminded of the poor choice she had made. Yet, the Bible suggests that she did not use his foolishness as an occasion to lower herself. Instead, Abigail is described as a woman of good understanding. When faced with a challenging situation precipitated by a foolish man, she employed great wisdom and strength.

I am grateful to the many “Abigails” who have taught me, by precept and example, that no matter how much anyone else “cuts the fool,” I can still be a woman of good understanding.