August 11, 2007

"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he does shall prosper." Psalm 1: 3

We are experiencing a terrible drought that has been caused by several years of below-normal rainfall amounts. Add to that we are in the midst of a mammoth heat wave....temperatures in the 100s and more of the same predicted for the next 5 days. Everything is cooking in this heat. It doesn't matter how much you water with a hose, it is never enough. We need God's water!! My flowers look pitiful. The leaves are falling off of our hollies, a normally heat and drought tolerant shrub. My lilies are turning yellow and the roses that are blooming cook before the end of the day. I read yesterday that a local municipality close to us is working overtime putting out soaker bags and soaker hoses around the trees in their local parks because they are losing them one by one. Sprinklers run day and night in our neighborhood as our neighbors try to save their grass from burning in the heat. Lots of work and money have gone into our yards and it is sad and costly to see it burning up right before our eyes.

How sad God must be when He sees his children drying up and withering in their Christian lives. Lives that could be flourishing and counting for the Kingdom, are parched and dry. God has been pushed to the background like a water hose curled up in the flowerbed. The source of refreshment is there ready and waiting, but they are too busy to notice.

God tells us if we will plant ourselves in His word; if we will spend time each day soaking up His truth; if we will walk in the well watered path He has laid out before us, we will flourish like trees and flowers do when the spring rains come. We will blossom and grow. We will have abundant fruit. We will have a sweet fragrance to all who come in contact with us. We will brighten up our corner of the world with beauty that comes from being with Him.

May we then have upturned faces, seeking for God to rain down on us, filling us with His love, His mercy, His grace and His truth so that we may have deep roots and bear much fruit for Him.
May we realize that without Him, we become like a desert. May we seek Him as one who searches for water when he is lost in the desert. May we not be fooled by the mirages of things the world has to offer and pass up the Living Water that will quench our thirsty souls so that we will never thirst again!