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.

In The Desert

Mark 6:31 “ And He said unto them, “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while.”....

There is no rest for the wicked, but there is rest for the people of God. Real rest of soul, body, and mind is found in Jesus Christ. That is spiritual rest from the cares of life and the things that trouble us. But God is also concern that we don’t over tax our bodies to the point that we are no longer any earthly good. This is no reason to be irresponsible, but a reason to take time from the duties of life and allow the mind and body to heal from the demands that press on us from day to day. We all need a desert place, a place away from the call of duty. A place to renew our spirits and regain our strength to be the person God wants us to be. In the desert, we can get quiet before God and find real rest for the soul. In the desert, the distractions of life are put away and we can let our body and mind be relived of the stress of responsibility that weighs on us daily.  We are not called to live in the desert, but to rest there. Tomorrow we return to life’s duties, but today, we rest in God.