Thirsty

Many of you know that much of our state is on fire.  It is merciless, even encroaching into our national parks and snatching homes.  The rivers of western Colorado are at their lowest, yet it was only last summer that we had flood waters overflowing their banks.  I remember because it was at my son's graduation that the rain never stopped . . . drenching, pouring rain.  But last year's rain will not do for today. 

We often make our plans and want the weather to cooperate on our conditions.  Lord, send rain, but wait until I get the house painted and certainly not during our camping trip.  I wonder if God gets tired of our complaints about the weather, as if we know better than He what the earth needs when in fact, "all of creation groans with eager expectation" for the day when human hearts return to their Maker and all is made new.  (Romans 8:22-23)

As we earnestly long for rain to quench the earth, I've become keenly aware of the greater need of our souls . . . Living Water.  Without the life giving Spirit of God, our lives become harsh, parched, and barren, a place ripe for fire.  But this fiery trial, this longing for rain, does it not point our hearts toward heaven?  And in the fire, given time, renewal does come as hearts return to their Creator.

This morning a Scripture was read which greatly encouraged me.  Actually it was accidentally misread, a blooper, but one which turned my heart toward God's control over the fires burning our state.  Psalm 95:3-4 reads, "For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.  In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him."   But what I heard was, "the mountain parks belong to him," and I thought of our national parks burning.  Yes, the mountain parks do belong to God.  They are His, not ours.  Surely He is seeking our attention through His creation, even in the destruction of it.  The eyes of all look to God, for only in Him is our deliverance.  (Psa. 145:15,16)

We do pray for rain, not just rain to water the earth, but also rain to water our souls.  How desperate we are for God's continual flow, the out pouring of His Spirit, which sustains us moment by moment . . . the very air we breathe.  But how easily we take Him for granted, to think we can get along fine of our own strength, until the drought points our faces toward heaven and we fall in complete dependency on Him.  Yes, Lord Jesus, you are all we need.  Our soul thirsts for you.