How To Survive A Famine

In June here, abundant waters flowed fast and furious over smooth, river-worn rocks. As the snow melts from the mountaintops, it flows downward and its everywhere, rushing. When I encountered them, I was struck with their power.

In July the waters were lower, and serene. The sound over the rocks had a soothing effect on my soul in contrast to the rushing waters in the same river the month before.  

Upon arrival to Montana today, this third month, I feel disappointed at nearly non-existant waters in places where beautiful sun-reflecting ripples flowed steady last month.  

The water's life is sluggish when there is less. And it loses some of it's lustre. The less water, the less reflection of the sunlight's glory. Less water. Less lustre. Less reflection of glory. 

Seeing this natural water drying up over the course of the summer months, I found myself thinking, "What if it never replenished?" With the drought plaguing 60% of our nation, and famine in Africa because of years without water...why do I here in this beautiful land, assume (take for granted?) we will receive the water next year for recovery? I pray we do. I have asked God, "Why was I born here in the land of abundance and not there in the land of desperate need?" 

One day a woman came to a well where Jesus was sitting to get her daily water. (I'm so thankful for my faucet!) He offered her Living Water and said if she drank that she would never thirst again. John 4:7-13 Obviously he wasn't talking about her natural need for water because we all know we cannot go long without it. What He was talking about was His Spirit. If she would put her trust in Jesus, He would give her His very own Life. It is an inner life. We are not born with it, we must come to Jesus to get it. 

Back in the Beginning we had it, the inner Life:
Genesis 2:10 A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters.

In the Garden of Eden, the water was there free for the taking, but when our parents sinned, we  received a curse: Genesis 3:16-19 and we were locked out Genesis 3:23-24 -We left the garden with spiritual famine; we left with withered, dead, lifeless hearts.-

But God, who is rich in mercy made a way in the heart-dead wilderness for us to return to Eternal Life, to be restored to Him! Ephesians 2:4-5 He invited us to the River of Life that flows from the City of God: (Might the current drought cause us to come to the Source of Living Water? Could our physical need here cause us to seek to satisfy a deeper longing?)

Psalm 46:4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

From the end of the story for those who come to Jesus for the Living Water: Revelation 22:1-5 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Jesus offers everyone who comes to Him the Living Water. Have you come to Him and received it? And if you have, are you continuing to replenish daily? Or have you lost your lustre, are you a dim reflection? Either way, Isaiah 55:1-13 offers you free, life-giving, never ending water. Spend some time reading that and asking Him to fill you now, or fill you afresh with His Spirit today. It is free and even if all the wells of earth run dry, your supply will be eternal. 

For further understanding of the curse...and how God turns it into a blessing read my friend Kristis's post here: Hidden Grace