Walking in the Desert

 Deut 2:7
For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness:..

The testing of our faith is done when we are walking through the desert wilderness of life. I’m told that the desert has its own unique attractions, and in some respects I can see how it might be, but as a general rule, I would choose rather not to live in the dry climate of the hot and lifeless desert. A desert place in life is symbolized as a time of desolation and dryness of spirit. Going through a hard place, circumstances are tough and life giving water is nowhere to be found. The lessons in life are often done when we are walking in the desert. This is the place where our faith is tested and our trust to believe in God, that He knows where we are, and He knows what we need. His will and purpose is being accomplished. He is preparing us for something new. In the desert, He will provide us with what we need. A river will spring forth, and He will bring us through. “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Is 43:19). We all enjoy the “mountain top” experience where all is going well, and we are basking in God’s presence. But when we walk through the desert, God’s presence appears to be absent. We need to know that God sees us and knows what we are going through. We can trust the promises of God and believe that He will provide us with what we need as we walk in the desert places of life. He has promised us a river, a stream that will take us through. “When we have exhausted our store of endurance, when our strength has failed, when the day is half done, when we reach the end of our hoarded resources, our Father’s full giving has only begun”- The river of grace will appear and make a way as we walk in the desert.

He is the Water of Life

 Isaiah 41:18
I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

When going on a hike through the mountains, I always like to find trails that take me to water. It may be a creek, or a lake in the valley, or a waterfall high in the mountains. There is something about water that is calming as I sit and watch it move down the valley creek, or see the reflection of the mountains on the lake surface. The Bible is filled with analogies of water that represents the life-giving presence of God. Jesus said, “​​But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” Jesus is the answer to all who are thirsting for more than what this world has to offer. He is the river to anyone who will seek Him. To the rich in high places, He is there, to those in the valley of despair, He gives hope, to those lost in the wilderness of sin, He brings new life, and to those who are going through hard times, He is a spring of water that will revive the soul.  His presence comes in different forms. It may be a river, fountain, pool, spring, or even a well. We are all given the opportunity to avail ourselves of the water of life that flows from the heart of God.

Planted By The Waters

Jer. 17:7, 8

Blessed [with spiritual security] is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord...For he will be [nourished] like a tree planted by the waters, That spreads out its roots by the river; And will not fear the heat when it comes...

A tree is able to withstand the heat of the day because the tree is planted near a reservoir of water. The roots go down deep into the ground and tap into this water source. In the heat of the day, it will maintain its green lively leaves, and give forth fruit of its kind. Such is a person who taps into the living water of Christ. He is the source of life, the water that gives us the strength to face the hardships of life and difficult times when the heat of the day is more than we can bear. We can know without doubt and remain secure in our faith knowing that God will bring us through. Hold on, stay faithful, trust God, and believe that He is still in control. 

River in the Desert

 Isaiah 43:19
Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
The desert is a dry and lonely place. Spiritually, we may be going through a dry spell. A time where God’s presence seems to be far away. We go each day going through the motions of life without praying through and touching God. The spiritual wilderness, not knowing always which way to go. Doubts and fear creep in causing our faith to drain. Wait, what is that I hear? The sound of many waters is near. I see a river in the desert and it is drawing oh so near. God is doing a new thing! He is able to bring new life when it appears that we have exhausted all of our strength. There is a river making its way through our desert. Drink of the water, He is doing a new thing in our lives. Do you not perceive it? Lift up your eyes, for God is working. He is able to make a way through the wilderness, and leads us all the way.

River of Life

Jer. 17:8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river,…

Drought comes to everyone, Times of distress and unbearable heat. The survival of a plant will depend on it’s source of water. The plant whose roots can tap the water that flows underground, or the plant that can draw from a river near by can survive the heat. The heat of the pressures of life, the heat of conflict, the heat of loss, or the heat of temptation. A tree that reaches the true source of life, and touches the fountain of living water is able to survive the testing of trust. Those who put their trust is God, and not in man’s ingenuity, God will not only keep them from withering  away, but they will continue to bear fruit, and their lives will show the radiance of God’s glory. The heat is indiscriminate, it will affect the ungodly and the godly. Bad things do happen to godly people, but the godly have been planted by the source of living water. They will survive, they will overcome, they will flourish. don’t let the heat of this world destroy you, spread your roots and tap into the River of Life.

There is a River

Psalm 46:6 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

Walking in the wilderness of the desert of life will dehydrate us spiritually. We can only go so long without water. We become so busy with life and all of its demands that we fail to take time to stop and drink. There is a river that God has provided for us to drink from. If we are going to making it to our destiny, we need to take time each day to drink from the streams that flow from the city of God. From the river, we are able to refill to continue our journey. We need not die of thirst, there is a river that flows from God, water to quench the longings of our soul, water to give us the strength to carry on. Take time to stop, bend down on the banks of the river and take a drink.

Planted by the Waters

Jer. 17:7,8a - Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river…

A tree that is planted by the water never worries about staying alive. As long as the river flows, the roots of that tree are feed and refreshed daily. A man who puts their trust in God does not have to worry about the circumstances that surround them. They have tapped into the source of life and are refreshed in their spirits day by day. Those who trust in the flesh have been deceived and their hearts are far from knowing the true source of life. They think they have life, but they are living a lie. At the end of the day, they are empty and void of any real spiritual life. Real life comes from trusting in the Lord and putting our hope in the one who able to work all things to His glory. 

The Fountain of Life

Psalm 36:8b, 9a “...Thou shalt make them drink of the river of Thy pleasures. For with Thee is the fountain of life...”-

There is a fountain, a fountain of pure delight. Water of life that gushes forth, and whosever will drink of this water will experience pleasure beyond imagination. The source of this water is Jesus Christ. The water flows through life like a river. It makes its way down through the valley, places where life is dry and souls cry out in thirst. This water is not like any other kind of water. It will satisfy the thirst of the soul. It will be a spring of joy and will be everlasting. The fountain of life will never run dry, it flows from the throne of God and it’s given to anyone who desire to drink. This water is not for the selected few, it is for anyone who desires to made anew. We no longer drink from the waters of Mara. Life is no longer wretched and bitter. His water brings sweetness to life and fulfills the longing and desires of the heart.