388. Dew and Rain
Micah 5:7 And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men
Dew and rain are often used as symbols of fertility, growth, abundance and life. Dew and rain are necessary for life. Without water there is no life, as we know it; with water there is life and growth and health. The dew and the rain are symbols of the Holy Spirit, who is the living water that produces spiritual life, growth and health. The Spirit is the Giver of Life. He comes like rain in its season. He is always refreshing, thirst quenching and life-producing. Without the Spirit there is no life; with the Spirit life abounds and bears fruit.
Unbelievers are still in their sins, and therefore still in death. They think they are alive and living, but they are mistaken, for without spiritual life inside physical life is nothing at all, and it does not last. Living without the Spirit in this world is like trying to exist in the desert without water. It does not work, and you won’t last long.
Believers have their sins forgiven, and they have passed from death to life. They are alive and flourishing. The Spirit is always present to refresh our souls, produce genuine and eternal spiritual life, and bear fruit abundantly. The Spirit always uses the Word and Sacraments to feed and nourish. If we ignore the Word and absent ourselves from church and Bible study we start drying up. We start needing rain, but we may become insensitive to emptiness, hunger, thirst and dryness within. We need to hear the Law, which convicts of sin and need; and we need to hear the Gospel, which convicts of forgiveness and filling with the Spirit. We pray for rain, and the Lord pours it out when needed.
The other part of this promise is that the remnant of Jacob, which is the Church, is like rain in the midst of a dry and empty world. Most of the people around us are empty, dead, thirsty and starving for the life and love of God. We already have it and we share it. We are like the dew and the rain. Jesus says we are salt and light. The promise is that we, as believers, give water for a dry world, pour out salt for a spoiled world, and shine light on a dark world. We live as dew and rain in the midst of many people