“Ho! Everyone
who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. Why do you spend
money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen
carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in
abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you.” (Isaiah 55:1-3 NKJ)
who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. Why do you spend
money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen
carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in
abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you.” (Isaiah 55:1-3 NKJ)
Life can sometimes
be like a desert. It is dry, dusty, rocky, void of life and water and beauty.
One long, hot summer drought turns into a long, cold lonely winter.
be like a desert. It is dry, dusty, rocky, void of life and water and beauty.
One long, hot summer drought turns into a long, cold lonely winter.
To passing
travelers, the desert may seem harsh and void of life. Yet, just below the
surface there is a beauty waiting to burst forth. It just needs a good, soaker
rain from heaven. A soaker rain will affect the dry, lifeless landscape in ways
unimaginable to uninformed travelers.
travelers, the desert may seem harsh and void of life. Yet, just below the
surface there is a beauty waiting to burst forth. It just needs a good, soaker
rain from heaven. A soaker rain will affect the dry, lifeless landscape in ways
unimaginable to uninformed travelers.
After such a rain,
it is possible to see an abundance of flowers and growth and life in the same
place where a desert existed previously. And most travelers will miss it
because they never accept an invitation to witness it.
it is possible to see an abundance of flowers and growth and life in the same
place where a desert existed previously. And most travelers will miss it
because they never accept an invitation to witness it.
Why do we accept the
dissatisfaction of the desert? There is only heartache, sorrow and disappointment in the desert. Perhaps the
loss of a job, or a tragedy or a disappointment has convinced us that life’s
beauty and joy is gone forever. Yet, in our desert, God invites us to accept
the abundance of his blessings.
dissatisfaction of the desert? There is only heartache, sorrow and disappointment in the desert. Perhaps the
loss of a job, or a tragedy or a disappointment has convinced us that life’s
beauty and joy is gone forever. Yet, in our desert, God invites us to accept
the abundance of his blessings.
Of course, I do not
know what my readers are dealing with today. I do not know your drought and desert, but I know that God walks
with me through mine. He is kind and generous. He doesn’t charge for his
generosity and grace and goodness. Time and again he has proven to me that life
— real living, abundant living — rests just beneath the surface of life’s
deserts.
know what my readers are dealing with today. I do not know your drought and desert, but I know that God walks
with me through mine. He is kind and generous. He doesn’t charge for his
generosity and grace and goodness. Time and again he has proven to me that life
— real living, abundant living — rests just beneath the surface of life’s
deserts.
In the desert,
giving up is an easy solution, but continuing in faith and hope is like a
soaker rain. Keep walking with him. Listen carefully to him. Enjoy his
blessings and delight in his abundance.
giving up is an easy solution, but continuing in faith and hope is like a
soaker rain. Keep walking with him. Listen carefully to him. Enjoy his
blessings and delight in his abundance.
Will life always be
a garden of abundance? No, but God’s rains will come and the deserts will be
replaced by God’s everlasting covenant. It is a covenant to bring us to his
house where there is no desert of death, heartache, pain or sorrow. And the
roses never fade!
a garden of abundance? No, but God’s rains will come and the deserts will be
replaced by God’s everlasting covenant. It is a covenant to bring us to his
house where there is no desert of death, heartache, pain or sorrow. And the
roses never fade!
Dear Father, thank
you for listening to us. Embolden us to listen to you and accept your gracious
help in our time of desert need. I pray this in the name of Jesus. AMEN
you for listening to us. Embolden us to listen to you and accept your gracious
help in our time of desert need. I pray this in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Listen to God today,