In A Dry and Parched Land

I expect to see dead grass in Texas parks during August, but I never thought I would see Hotham Park looking like the image above. The UK has suffered the driest start to the year since 1976 and the driest July since 1935, and Europe's drought is on course to be the worst in 500 years. As drought is expected to be declared in parts of England today, let's pray for rain, and for farmers and others affected by the weather.

As I went for a walk on Monday by dry fields that had already been cut down or harvested early, I was reminded of the opening of Psalm 63:

You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water.

When we fast, our hunger reminds us to turn our attention to God and remember that we don't 'live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God' (Matthew 4:4). When we drive and walk past land affected by the drought, this reminds us to pray for God's presence and power in our church, and for those across the UK and Europe who so desperately need him. May our prayer be the fulfillment of God's words in Isaiah 45:8:

You heavens above, rain down my righteousness;
    let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide,
    let salvation spring up,
let righteousness flourish with it