I will come to you as the Dew

A word for those who are pressing in…

‘I will come to you as the dew.’ I heard these words whispered to me this past week, and as is often the case, I needed to press in to see what God was speaking to me…to us.

I first need to define dew. In the natural, it is a deposit of waterdrops formed at night by the condensation of water vapor from the air onto the surfaces of objects freely exposed to the sky. It forms on clear nights when the air is calm or, preferably, when the wind is light.

Now for the spiritual…the word “dew” appears 34 times in the Bible, and it is primarily seen as a blessing. It is used poetically and symbolically and is very different than the blessing of rain. Since the time of Passover, Jewish people have been praying the “Tfilat Tal” – a prayer or blessing for dew, which asks God to bring a light out of the darkness to draw Israel to himself, as a root finds water from dew.

Rain always catches our attention, as anyone ever caught out in the rain knows! Or, if you’re like me and live in California, you pray for rain and when it comes it is a big deal! It can be heard in the pitter-patter of raindrops on your rooftop or windows, or you can hear the pounding of a heavy storm. Dew, on the other hand, is silent. It does not draw attention to itself at all. It can be seen as a more humble, unassuming version of rain – never causing damage; gentle, nourishing and dependable.

So, what is so special about dew and what is the God saying about this today?

Dew often goes unnoticed, and we need to make an effort to become aware of this subtle gift from God. Dew speaks of his steadfast love – His mercies that are new every morning. Daily events illuminate the need for us to shut out, drown out and silence the noise and press in to hear the Lord’s voice. It’s when we quiet ourselves, humble ourselves and listen that we hear His gentle voice drawing us. This is what I mean by ‘making an effort.’

Daily emphasize God’s unfaltering love for us in the midst of turmoil. He never jumps ship. When the storms come, He is right in the boat with us. The battering we take from the storm can sometimes obscure that truth. We can be overwhelmed by the wind and the waves and forget who is in the boat with us!

One of the basics of Bible study is that any word study begins with the “first mention.” We look to see the first time a word is mentioned in the Bible because this is key to understanding its significance. Dew is mentioned for the first time in In Genesis 27:28 when Isaac blesses Jacob with these words:

“May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine.”

Dew in the Bible speaks of abundance and divine blessing. It is seen to be delivered along with the manna and the quail that God provided for his children in the desert. It is a refreshment, a gift, and is sent from heaven. It is a source of life.

The blessing of rain is well-known and understood. God sends rain as a blessing and He withholds it when he wants to correct and draw people’s attention back to Himself. Not only is rain a blessing conditional upon behavior, but it can also be a curse if it is the wrong type of rain at the wrong time. News reports of consistent hurricanes and storms bear this out. Dew, on the other hand, shows up every morning, unconditionally. And it is always a blessing. It sustains and brings gentle nourishment to the earth. So, when God tells me He is coming to us as the dew, I say THANK YOU!!

Whether or not we pay attention to it, the dew is always there. However long we may have ignored it or been oblivious to its presence, it appears day after day, no questions asked… just like the unconditional love of God.

Another truth to consider about dew:

“Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours.” (Psalm 110:3)

The womb of the morning refers to the very break of dawn when dew appears. It speaks of the strength of the early stages of our life. It gives reassurance that God can provide youthful vigor when He calls us to fight with Him. He will always provide the sustenance we need, when we need it. When we willingly agree to battle alongside Him, He provides the power!

Here is the Tfilat Tal – The Jewish prayer / blessing for dew. Will you pray it with me for ourselves, for our families, for each other?

May dew fall upon the blessed land.

Fill us with heaven’s finest blessings.

May a light come out of the darkness to draw Israel

to you as a root finds water from dew.

May you bless our food with dew.

May we enjoy plenty with nothing lacking.

Grant the wish of the people – that followed you

through the desert like sheep – with dew.

You are Adonai our God,

who causes the wind to blow and the dew to fall,

For blessing and not for curse.

Amen.

For life and not for death.

Amen.

For plenty and not for lack.

Amen.

The light of Jesus still shines in the darkness! He is still drawing people, just as the root finds water from the dew! He is still “The seed of peace, the vine shall give her fruit and the earth shall give her produce, and the heavens shall give their dew (Zech. 8:12).

He is still our provider; “When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it” (Num. 11:9).

In quietness, as you greet the womb of the day, let your roots sink deep in Him and let Him strengthen, calm and sustain you. “I will be as the dew unto Israel, he shall blossom as the lily, and shall fix his roots as Lebanon.” (Hosea 14:5) The remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples as dew from Jehovah, as drops from the herb.” (Micah 5:7.)

And, as you are refreshed by the humble, trustworthy, faithful, dependable, persistent, constant gift of the dew each day, remember that this is the gift of HIS presence, and HIS sustenance. Let this gift flow out from your life to others, in Jesus Name. Amen.