Renewed Life in the Desert

It fascinates me how a cactus can go days even weeks or months without water. Yes, it will look near death with its drab brown, uninspired and shriveled skin, and those spiked, needle point thorns seem more threatening than ever. Almost like it is grimly declaring, "Do not come near me! I'm untouchable, ugly, not worthy and I know it!"

To many, the desert is unappealing, repulsive, and even scary. It's not a place one normally thinks of beauty and goodness. It's often associated with bleak visuals of death, intense pain, gloom and over course death inducing heat. But, when that monsoon season arrives, this dead land completely comes alive with bright green fleshy bodies. When those quenching monsoon rains come rushing in, overnight vibrantly colored flowers come bursting out of what used to be a dried up, stoney, and dead body. A once lifeless brown landscape becomes an aray of vivacious greens and rich sienna that seem to lift up the desert in praise for the renewed life that has been given.

When the rains roll in to water this thirsty desert every monsoon season, I can't help but reflect on the beautiful transformation I get to witness takin place. It's a stunning parallel of how our spirit transforms when we receive the ever flowing Water Of Life.

God's word is sprinkled with references to water and how it gives life and washes things clean.

Isaiah 12:3 says, "Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation," and Jesus says in John 4:14, "but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."

I have felt my spirit dead and dried up. There are times I feel desperately thirsty in my soul. My exterior may even begin to menacingly declare, "Do not come near me, I'm untouchable, I'm ugly, I'm not worthy and I know it!" But, when I receive His quenching Water Of Life. His reviving Spirit through His precious word and our intimate talks through prayer, I feel my heart return to flesh and my soul begins to burst with vibrant color. Joyful color that I can share with others, praising God for the renewed life and fresh beginning He has given me once again.

"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water." John 7:38

I pray refreshing blessings on you today friend. Renew your spirit in His word, and let His life giving Spirit rain down on your heart.

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