“Drought conditions persist and increase,” a recent AL.com headline says. “Many locations…. haven’t had any rain in the past 20 days. Add that to the warm temperatures in the early autumn and the result is growing drought-related concerns.” states WSFA Meteorologist Tyler Sebree.
According to a different WSFA research, “Covington, Conecuh, Monroe, Clarke, Washington, Escambia, Geneva and Mobile counties are suffering from extreme to severe conditions which have hindered the ability of crops to be grown.”
“Citing an increasing and widespread drought conditions, beginning Thursday (October 13) the Alabama Forestry Commission will stop giving permits to fires that are outdoors,” The Alabama Daily Mail published. ‘”The warning for fires isn’t disappearing until we get significant rainfall, which could mean some inches of rain,” State Forester Rick Oates declared in a press release Wednesday. ‘”Unfortunately there’s no indication of rain therefore the ban remains in place indefinitely. In this dry and arid climate and the risk of a fire, it is possible for a fire to get out of control, and threaten livelihoods and lives as well as devastating forest habitats.”‘
Our grass yard squeaks as we walk across it. Our shrub is shriveling. It’s trying to make it through. The drought, combined with record-breaking high temperatures of the mid – to upper 90’s over the past few months, have devastated southern Alabama soil.
If you believe in the old statements, then let’s clean our cars, and we’ll get some rain. I shared a photo on Facebook that showed a man walking along a dry road with an umbrella in red. The caption on the photo read “Prayer is seeking rain. Faith will carry an umbrella.” I keep an umbrella in my car. I’m thinking of keeping it near at work at home, at church, and wherever else I go.
I’ve met with people who pray for rain. I was thinking about that Old Testament prophet Elijah who was praying for rain since it hadn’t rained for three and three and a half years. Elijah told King Ahab to prepare to be ready for a downpour because it was clear of an abundant rain.
He wasn’t speaking in the capacity of a meteorologist, instead, he was speaking as a man with faith. Elijah was taken to the highest point of Mt. Carmel then began praying. He would then pray and instruct his servant to gaze at the ocean. After seven times the servant noticed an elongated cloud that was that was the size of the palm of a man. After that, clouds grew larger in the sky, and it was a heavy rainfall (1 1 Kings 18:41–45).
Have you ever felt the feeling of a dry soul? Sometimes my soul feels swollen and dry. This is exactly how David experienced when writing “O God, you are my God And I pray with all my heart for you. My soul longs for you. My flesh aches for you, like in an unwelcoming and dry country where there is no water. Therefore, I have gazed upon your sanctuary in amazement, observing the power of your glory and strength. Because your love for me is more powerful than the world My lips will sing praise to your name.” (Psalm 51:1-3 N.K.J.).
Bestseller Ann Voskamp writes, “When we open the dirt of our lives that are hard open to the blessings of grace and let joy soak into the cracks and dry areas, (and) let joy penetrate our broken flesh and the deep crevices life expands. Why is this not the most beneficial thing for the world? We?”
We should pray for rain to our land as well as in our lives!
Jan White has compiled a collection of her columnists in her book “Everyday faith for Daily Life.”
The article praying to God for rain on dry locations was first published at The Andalusia Star-News.
