I can't make it rain. I can harness the wind, but I ain't its creator.

I taught on the following topic in the Veritas Sunday school class at Providence Church this past Sunday.

The following question came to mind while walking around Disney World: Should a Christian complain about the weather?

Most do and it's an easy conversation starter, but if ...

• God is in charge of the weather (and He is*)
• God's people are to be content in Christ regardless of circumstances (Phil 2:14, 4:10-13)
• complaining shows a lack of faith/trust in God

then ... it seems to me that we ought not to complain about the weather, though we can should/prayerfully petition God in the realm of weather (cf. Solomon's prayer: 1 Kings 8:35-36; Elijah's prayer: James 5:17-18 & 1 Kings 17-18).

Easier said than done, however especially during a Texas summer.

"He who complains of the weather complains of the God who ordained the weather!"
-William Law

Incidentally, what message was sent by Jesus in Mark 4:35-41 regarding His identity? (cf. Ps 107:29)


*Some weather related texts to validate that God, not "Mother Nature" controls the weather.

• Deut 11:13-14 And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil.
• Joshua 10:11 And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the Lord threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.
  
• 1 Sam 12:17-18 Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord, that he may send thunder and rain. And you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking for yourselves a king.” So Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.
• Job 28:25-28 "Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain and a way for the thunderbolt, to bring rain on a land where no man is, on the desert in which there is no man, to satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the ground sprout with grass? Has the rain a father, or who has begotten the drops of dew?"
• Job 36:32 He covers his hands with the lightning and commands it to strike the mark.
• Job 37:3 Under the whole heaven he lets it go, and his lightning to the corners of the earth.
• Job 37:6 For to the snow he says, 'Fall on the earth,' likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour.
• Job 37:11 He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning.
• Job 37:13 Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen.
  
• Job 37:15 Do you know how God lays his command upon them and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?
• Ps 107:25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea.
• Ps 107:29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
• Ps 147:8 He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills.
• Ps 147:18 He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
• Is 29:5b-6 And in an instant, suddenly, you will be visited by the Lord of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.
• Isaiah 45:7 I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity,I am the Lord, who does all these things.
• Jer 10:13 When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,
• and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses. (cf. 51:16)
• Jer 14:22 Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are you not he, O Lord our God? We set our hope on you, for you do all these things.
• Amos 4:7 I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest; I would send rain on one city, and send no rain on another city; one field would have rain, and the field on which it did not rain would wither
• Jonah 1:4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. (cf. 1:11-16)
• Zech 14:17 And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them.
  
• Matt 5:45 For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
• Mark 4:35-41 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
• Acts 14:17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.
• Rev 16:21 And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.