Operation Fish rescue

Last week, my family and I camped in Cougar, WA on Yale resivoir. We took a hike along cougar creek, known best for it's pristine spawning grounds. As we walked the narrowing creek bed, we came to a fork that was nearly dried up from low water levels that are expected this time of year. A closer look revealed Salmon smolt trapped in this small puddle of water; soon to dry up. Along with the smolt were nymphs and a couple walleye finglerlings. To put it mildly this small puddle of water was crawling with life. But very soon this life would suffer the invetible-death. As the hot dry days of summer wear on, portions of the river dry up leaving behind a parched river bed that awaits the return of rain in the Fall. My kids immediately took up the cause of rescuing the Salmon smolt. So we emptied our water bottle and began trapping fish. And one by one, we rescued all nine. Each were transplanted to the flowing part of the creek where once again they would have a chance at life.

As I thought about rescuing the fish, I began to think about how Jesus rescues us. Jesus said, in Luke 19:10 "The Son of man came to seek and save the lost." So when you think about it, you and I are being sought out and rescued by someone who loves us. And that someone is Jesus. He does for us what we did for those fish in Cougar creek. He rescues. And without him coming to rescue us we would die an inevitable death.

Rescuing the fish was a rewarding experience. After we rescued the fish I began talking to my kids about how Jesus rescues us. I shared with them Luke 19:10. And I think we all walked away with a deeper appreciation of who Jesus is and what he came to do.

Water in the desert

On our recent trip to Yellowstone, I was taken back by the amount of water the wells up from underground into the dry desert-like landscape. Many of them Hot Springs. You find them by the dozens throughout the park. Some are terribly accessible while others are well hidden treasures. Seeing the water flow reminded me of a passage of scripture from the book of Isaiah that I've been meditating on lately. Isaiah 41: 17-20 says this:

"The poor and needy search for water,

but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst.

But I the LORD will answer them;

I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys.

I will turn the desert into pools of water,

and the parched ground into springs.
I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.

I will set pines in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together,
so that people may see and know, may consider and understand,

that the hand of the LORD has done this,

that the Holy One of Israel has created it"

In this passage God makes a promise to His people; He will not let them go thirsty. In fact, he promises them an abundance of water in their time of need. God says, "I will turn the desert into pools of water." When I read that I think of the water flowing out of the ground in Yellowstone. (The picture above is of an actual Hot Spring in Yellowstone). Even the earliest accounts of Yellowstone depict the flow of water springing up from underground. The supply of water has never ceased, it runs constant for as long as anyone can remember. And when I think of that, I think of how limitless our God is. He abundantly supplies in ways that we could never imagine. Water in the desert is almost an oxymoron, but is anything too difficult for God? He takes our barreness and causes it to bear fruit, much like he did with Abraham's wife Sarah in the book of Genesis. God also says through Isaiah, "I will put in the desert the cedar, the achia, the myrtle and the olive." Can you imagine that? Several different tree varieties found in the same barren location. Even under the best growing conditions it's difficult to find such variety of vegatation. Only a God could do such a thing. And the good news for you and I is this: He promises to fulfill this promise in our lives. He promises to abundantly supply with limitless resource.

There have been times in my life when I have felt like I have walked through a desert. Even some of the great heroes of the faith have had desert experiences. Moses spent most of his life in the desert. David ran for his life in the wilderness. Even Jesus spent Forty days in the desert and was tempted. I guess I'm trying to say... don't be surprised if you find yourself in the desert. Many have gone before you and many will follow. And if thats where you find yourself today, then maybe you can benefit from these golden promises found in Isaiah. I know I have.

Drink it up,

Bob