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