Faith is God’s goal for the soul.
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” – Hebrews 11:6
The world is God’s proving ground for the soul.
Three Hebrew words are used to describe remote places: desolation, desert, and wilderness. Combined they are a metaphor for uninhabited, lonely, and risky places.
We live in a risky environment.
It is precisely risk which animates opportunities and realities for faith. We are born into a world at war because God has allowed it. He asks us to follow His example as we travel:
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.” – Matthew 10:16
Only God can sustain our thirst in such a desert as this.
“O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” – Psalm 63:1
How does He sustain us?
By providing streams in the desert – what are they and what do they represent for us?
√ Psalm 65:9 the stream of God
√ Psalm 78:20 he struck the rock
√ Psalm 126:4-6 in the middle of parched land
And by collecting springs of water for us – what does this mean?
√ Isaiah 35:7 water will pool
√ Isaiah 41:18 water out of nowhere
√ Isaiah 43:19,20 a highway and river
√ Isaiah 49:10 waters of compassion
Drink deeply in this dry and weary land dear friend – the water is there!
Dave and Burnadette