He Makes His Rain Fall....

One of the realizations inherent in all of creation is the constancy of God's Providence. We live in an ordered universe and we are able to perceive tangibly the actions of the Creator "providing" for all of His creatures. Within our human livelihood, we have experienced this many times, as things seem very often to fall into place quite nicely, according to our own expectations and wants (sometimes seemingly otherwise). Jesus mentions that God makes His rain fall on the gardens of both the "good and the wicked". It falls out from this that we ought not to consider this general providence of God as somehow giving a foundation for absolute confidence in a heavenly reward. If we seem to have things work out for us materially, or in terms of health and growth and prosperity, this is not sufficient evidence that we are numbered among the "good and privileged" in God's economy. Both the good and wicked receive gifts from God as He cares for all creation. Even if our prayers are answered, we cannot presume that our destiny is set in heaven, although it is a good sign that we are praying.

For me, such a hope is more substantially founded if in fact we have the sentiments of Supernatural Life and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit evidenced in out hearts. Such ideals as humility, piety, fear of the Lord, disdain for the world, desire for deepened prayer, instant and spontaneous kindness and unselfishness etc. tend to reveal to us that we possess a heavenly destiny....which really is all that matters. The elementary gifts of Providence, such as the "rain that falls" on our gardens and grows our plants can help us turn to God in gratitude and conversion of life, but these alone do not certify our supernatural standing. I believe that people tend to presume too much from such gifts and perhaps neglect to desire the more valuable ones.