Lesson 5. Homesteading Climates Digging into the Word. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there, but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth. It shall not return to me

empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55, 10 and 11. What a creative and imaginative God we have. He has made this world to have so many different climates,

weather, and seasons for us to enjoy. Have you ever thought about how intentionally God made

the world in this way, when he could have made every region the same? He could have made it

so that it was always spring or summer, and never winter. He could have made it that the temperature was always moderate everywhere, and it never

got too hot or too cold.

But he didn't.

In his great wisdom, he made a world where we see so much diversity in nature, and he

made seasons that changed throughout the year.

Our desire for comfort and ease often lends our hearts to wishing that the rain would just

stop already, or complaining about how hot it is outside.

We resent the things about where we live that make life challenging, instead of seeing

them as part of the very plan that God designed for us.

What if we changed our hearts and minds

to viewing these challenges that come from our particular climates or from the changing seasons

as blessings from God instead of curses? What if we opened our eyes to viewing how the rain and snow

that he sends down from heaven is actually part of his good purpose for us, and the very

thing that makes the earth bring forth and sprout. I challenge you today to ask yourselves

if you ever find yourself complaining about your climate or the weather. How could you instead

view these things as sources of blessings? What good things do you see God working out

in the particular climate challenge you face?

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