Paint the Rock Wagon

How much rain did you get? This question has become a reminder of all the troubles that come with too much water in one place. We praise God, for rain, because without it, the crops would not grow, yet an overabundance of a good thing brings its own set of problems- flooded basements, unplanted crops, drowned crops, whole houses washed away, whole towns under water, and even the loss of life. “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.” James 5:17-18. Times like these should remind us to pray if nothing else.
-
As I reflect on the above verses I recall the childlike faith of my little brother when we were children. We grew up on a farm, and the rains kept missing us. Instead of being too wet, it was too dry. My little brother was not very old at the time, and he had heard Dad praying for rain, so he began to pray for rain before every meal. This went on for weeks until it finally started to rain. We were blessed with great rains, in fact, they kept coming, but my little brother had gotten into the habit of praying his prayer. Finally, Dad (although not wanting to hurt the little guy’s feelings) told him that we had enough rain for now, and he could quit praying for it. Who knows, before long we may be praying for rain again.
-
In situations like floods, tornados, and other weather systems, we realize how completely helpless we are, and how much me must depend on God. It is not always easy when the water is pouring into your basement, or your crops are under water. You find yourself in the midst of trials.
-
In the first chapter of James, we are told to count it joy when we face trials. That sounds strange at first, because who wants to have problems? But we are given the reason: “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:3-4.
-
Basically what he is saying is that by going through trials, you learn patience so you are better able to endure them. Some folks have lived such sheltered lives, that when the slightest problem comes along, they fall apart. Be going through a few challenges along the way, we are strengthened so we are better able to face life.
-
The value of the patience we gain in trials should not be underestimated. Most rural folks have a lets “git er done” attitude. In most cases that’s good. Its an evidence of a strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit. But when it comes to waiting for the fields to dry out, or the river to go down, sometimes we just have to wait on God’s timing. That teaches us to wait in other areas as well.
-
I remember trying to plant crops in the wet spring of 1993. A friend of mine was utterly depressed as we approached June without having the beans planted. He felt like a failure because he did not have his crop in yet. I asked him if he thought the same of all his neighbors, because none of us had our crops in yet either. He did not, but said he wished that there was something more he could do. I asked him if the planter, digger, and tractors were all ready to go as soon as the fields dried out. I think he told me that he had already greased them multiple times. I said there is nothing else we can do but wait and pray. He still was not satisfied and said that he wished that there was something more he could do. “Okay,” I said, “if you want to do something, then paint the rock wagon.” Ironically, he felt better, because now he had a goal and something he could do, but ultimately he understood he would have to learn to wait patiently.