C’mon – Rain On My Parade
So what is the intent of raining on our parade? It is to distract us and put us back in our place so that we might be quiet and not cause a stir. But what if God wants us to cause a stir? What then? If we are all drinking the mediocre kool-aid we will shut up and sit down and let things go on as they will. Not ruffling any feathers on birds that don’t fly anymore. Not upsetting apple carts with no fruit inside. STATUS QUO!
Is that who we have become? I hope not. Billy’s warning is a reality we must heed and I believe respond to. This reality is something of a mystery to those who don’t catch it, but it shouldn’t be a mystery for those who have the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus in Chapter 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, I know plenty of Christians who do get drunk with wine, but don’t want to be filled with Spirit. Wow, what a visual that is. When a drunk comes into a room everyone knows it and they think “What is up with that?” Some church people do the same thing when someone is joyful in their praise or expectant with their walk with Lord. Or believing God can still do great things. When you experience God something is going to happen and that may be the start of change. That change will be snuffed out if confused, dead Christians rain on that parade. So, don’t rain on that parade. God still works and gets me going from time to time and I will totally believe something great is about to happen and then I get around some others who like the status quo. Then it begins to rain and I have to make a choice; go ahead with the parade or call it off because of rain. I will admit I have called off way too many parades in my life because of rain from doubters. When in reality I should have realized what is happening and go ahead with the parade knowing the rain will eventually stop. And if it doesn’t…who cares?? When Jesus is in your life He is very good to keep you under the UMBRELLA of His love during the rain storms.
You may wonder, “Why can’t I just be like everybody else and just do the status quo thing?” Maybe this scripture will help John 4:13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again;14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” There it is. It is that well spring of eternal life springing up eternally within us that keeps on praising Jesus and being filled with the Holy Spirit every day. We can’t help it, and we shouldn’t stop it because it will come back again and again. I guess the choice for believers is this. “Am I going to keep turning a deaf ear to God’s call on my life? Or am I going to listen, and listen intently to his instructions for me? Am I going to quench the Spirit of God in my life, or am I going to respond to the Spirit of God and let go and let Him work through me like never before. The choice is yours. Get in the parade or rain on the parade. Remember, Elijah prayed for the rain to stop and it didn’t rain for three years. It was so dry that the animals had to be killed to show mercy because there was no grass for them to eat and they were starving. Here is what it says Elijah did next. 1 Kings 18:41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!”42 So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees.43 Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea.”The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, “I didn’t see anything.”Seven times Elijah told him to go and look. 44 Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.”Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’”45 And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel. 46 Then the Lord gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt[a] and ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel. Have we in our utter disobedience to God in our hearts asked him to stop the Spirit from moving? If we have, then it has been dry way too long. It is time for us to pray for the Lord’s rain to come and let our parade be wet and keep moving forward. Just let it rain on our parade because we welcome the rain from God.
Dear Lord bring the rain on our parade. We won’t stop the parade, but we will dance in the rain and receive it and keep the parade going. Create in me a clean heart O Lord that wants to serve you like never before. Bring the rain. Bring the rain!! Here is a good rule of thumb to go by given to us by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.19 Do not quench the Spirit. Don’t stop the rain..
The Pilgrimage continues….
David Warren