When It Rains, It Pours

When It Rains, It Pours 

“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-and shudder.”

James 2:19

Even Satan knows there is only one true God. He knows the truth, maybe better than we do? Bold statement, but there it is. Satan believes that God is in fact, the Most High God. He knows God’s servants are ministers of the gospel. He knows Jesus is the Son of God, the Holy One, the Messiah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So what?

How does this apply to me?

Answer: there are many ways this can apply to you. More ways than my small understanding can think of or understand; however, here is one way that this truth displayed itself in my life.

Here in Cambodia, we get rain. Rain is rain. It’s not different here than it is in the United States, but what is different is the duration. One minute it could be sunny, the next, monsoon like rains rush down and you really didn’t even blink during the drastic transition. Curiously, you can blink again, and the rain has stopped, and the sun is back out, and you wonder to yourself if you imagined it just happened, or if it was reality.

Today happened to be one of those days where we got rain. I was reading a passage from Luke with two sweet girls, and the Holy Spirit got right to work in them. It was so beautiful, friends. I watched these girls begin to dive into the gospel, understanding for perhaps the first time. I wish I could go into more detail, but please ask me personally if you would like to more about this amazing moment.

Anyway, wouldn’t you know it? In the middle of this beautiful moment where Jesus began to nudge at the hearts of my friends, a monsoon rain began to come down. Friends, it was crazy. I have never seen anything like it before. It was raining so hard that the girls and I began to misunderstand what each other was saying. It was so loud, we couldn’t hear each other!

In my head, I thought, “It’s ok. The rain will be over soon, and our conversation will continue more fluently then.” (I see the fault in my thinking that I can control how our conversation goes, as long as the weather cooperates with my agenda. I’m still a work in progress!)

Nope.

45 minutes, people! 45 minutes this rain was pouring so loudly that we could hardly hear each other.

Our host here in Cambodia, PK,  shared wise advice with our team. He talked to us about the work of Satan. When we are doing something big for God, when we are being bold, brave, and living out what God is calling us to, Satan jumps in. All of a sudden, problems start to arise. What are we to do? We can either be annoyed and disappointed by the problems, or we can make a point to see the door that God is opening. In every situation where the devil tries to steal and destroy, God offers an alternative. If we can recognize the problems as the work of Satan, instead of getting wrapped up in our feelings, we can begin to see truth, a way out, an open door.

So, here we were. Struggling to hear each other, but PRESSING ON. We did not stop. The Holy Spirit prompted me to draw pictures, share the gospel using the bridge illustration, translate vocabulary- an open door. And you know? I think Satan shuddered in that moment. I think he was reminded of the inevitable torment that he would face for eternity. He recognizes there is but one God, but that knoweldge doesn’t free him, it ruins him. He is bound for suffering forever. No matter his vain attempts to steal and destroy, he will always lose. If God is for us, who can be against us?

The beauty of it all? The Gospel frees us. We can know the power of the cross, and experience extravagant acceptance just as we are. We can trust that we will forever be in relationship with God, walking in harmony with his Word, and spending eternity with Him.

Do you know this God? The God who longs for YOU. Yep, I’m talking to you. The one who is hiding from past mistakes, still living in them and punishing yourself. I’m talking to you, the one who exhausts yourself pleasing others, being who you think they want you to be. I’m talking to you, the one who has committed every sin in the book. You, who thinks you aren’t worthy to know such love as this, that Jesus would lay down his life for you. How do I know he longs for you? How do I know he will love you if you just allow him to? To lay down your chains, and be bound to grace instead? Because he chose me. He found me. He loves me- a past-driven, people pleasing, sinner. He picks me up and sets my feet on solid rock. He gives me a firm place to stand. He LOVES me, and when I fall away from him, back to my past self, he comes for me. He reminds me that I can’t escape his love, no matter how much I mess up.

He wants you too.

And how about the one who already knows Christ? Maybe you know the power of the cross and the immense love God offers. Are you experiencing hardship in the midst of serving God? You are loving that co-worker that is hard to love. You are trying to get into the Word every day. You are planting seeds to that friend who doesn’t know Jesus yet. Are you facing hardship? Maybe not. But if you are, is there an open door that God is offering to you? Are you staying stuck in the problem, in your feelings, in the heavy-ness of it all? Look to Jesus for an alternative. Recognize the devil’s attempts to distract you, and then look back at him and say, “NO!” Keep on pressing on. Don’t stop.

Even the demons believe there is one God-and they shudder. Today the rain might have been a distraction, but hallelujah, there was an open door. Praise God for his faithfulness!

Hannah