Devotions Archive Archive: 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Search Archive Print This Article Getting thirsty Sunday, December 16, 2001 Isaiah 35:1-6 The desert and the parched land will be glad; The wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; It will rejoice greatly and shout for joy... Strengthen the feeble hands, Steady the knees that give way, Say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong and do not fear; your God will come. He will come with vengeance; With divine retribution he will come to save you." Then will the eyes of the blind be opened the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. Only once, many years ago, have I been stranded in a desert, overnight, watching the sun go down and take its incredible heat, without water, waiting. Only once. I will never forget it. And I have been thirsty. I remember half-mile long soybean fields, sweltering in July, walking the long rows, cutting out the weeds, sometimes so many weeds the walking took an hour. Or two hours. Back at the road, we fell on the water, and it was heaven. Then we started out again. A friend is in New York City with the Salvation Army this week, helping them serve 7500 meals a day to clean-up workers. On Thursday a firefighter found the body of his son in the wilderness of debris. Today's headline has Osama bin Laden "maybe" cornered in a very small area of wilderness on the other side of the world. No doubt both are waiting for God to fill their parched land with divine retribution. Sing this song with me, remember the tune?... Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay Close by me forever, and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, And fit us for heaven, to live with thee there. And ask the question with me, "What makes me fit for heaven, Lord? What will you do with me?" Finally, wait with me on God while he answers the question. I can't answer it for you, and you can't answer it for me. God only knows. Tears of confusion, sadness, anger flow from my eyes today, Lord. Salt water in the sand. Jesus come, Jesus take my tears into yourself, Jesus let living water flow. Makes streams in the desert, Jesus, bring life again. Yes. "; Add      Edit    Delete