Mana from heaven. Water from a rock. A cloud to bring shade in the desert heat. A cloud to
bring light and warmth in the coldness of the dark hours.
God speaks in the dry desert places and gives refreshment. Hope. A reason to believe. Even songs to sing.
One day, during a desert storm in the wilderness that had become my life, I had a quickened understanding from the Lord. I wrote in my journal:
I’ve been in a personal warzone for so long I feel like I don’t know what it’s like to live in a land of peace any more. What is refuge? What is peace? What is security? What is plenty? What is the future? My home is His sanctuary and so is my heart, but what goes on around me is hostile, unforgiving, and constant leveraging. It's relentless. I can only imagine the relief of being able to live outside of the limits of this prison control; outside the tethering of war games. The way most people live and take for granted!
I crave an oasis to hide in from the ugliness around me; to rest in.
But You say, “no”.
Why?
The Lord said:
If you rest in an oasis in the middle of a battle you won’t want to go back into the fight and you’ll never win the war! You’ll lay down your weapons. You’ll step out of your armour. You need to keep taking ground until it’s done!
Keep looking to me. I will continue to sustain you and equip you.
For how long? I ask.
“Until it’s done,” I hear you say, and the enemy has surrendered.
Then God will give me rest from my enemies.
Then the Lord said:
Awaken.
Stir your soul.
Stir your self.
If you want more
If you need more
- come and take more!
Come to my springs!
Come to my living waters
and drink!
My waters are plentiful
- but you have to come
to Me.
Stir your soul.
Awaken your clouded mind.
COME – and I will fill you up.
Isaiah 43:18-21 (NIV)
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. The wild animals honour me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.
Seek Him, through His Word and through prayer. Find out what He is saying to you to do. Don't be afraid of what He says to do. Put your ways aside. Then, believe.
Mark 9:22-23 (NIV)
If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
"'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes."