Need Refreshment?

“The wilderness and the desert will be glad, And the Arabah will rejoice and blossom; Like the crocus It will blossom profusely And rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy …” – Isaiah 35:1-2

We sat staring at each other in our pop-up camper. Weary from the heat and humidity, we weren’t having a good time. Well, maybe some of the kids were, but Mark and I had had our fill …

What a huge disappointment! We had dreamed about this vacation and reserved the campsite for eight days. Combining our love for the ocean with our love for camping seemed like the perfect pair. But we didn’t anticipate the dreadful heat, humongous mosquitos, and miserable lack of sleep due to uncomfortable conditions. Swimming didn’t provide relief either, because the water felt tepid rather than refreshing.

… Suddenly, Mark stood up and announced he was going to find us another place. He drove off and returned a few hours later, smiling. He’d reserved a small efficiency at a hotel located across the street from the beach. We spent the rest of our vacation enjoying air conditioning, the lazy river, and restful nights. Ahhh, such a needed respite!

The Christian life includes difficult challenges and periods of intense pressure. Much like the draining heat my family and I experienced on our camping trip, these problems threaten to undo us at times. Yet there’s good news: God is with us … and refreshment is on the way.

• Are you in the midst of a spiritual drought? Jesus Christ – the well that never runs dry – longs to quench your thirst.
• Are you pressed down and weak? Allow God’s love to fill you up and renew your strength.
• Have you lost heart? Jesus said, “… In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

How wonderful it is to have a loving Father in heaven who takes personal interest in us. He knows the number of hairs on our head. He cares about the ordinary details of our lives. He willingly sacrificed His only beloved Son in order to secure a relationship with us.

Instead of permitting hardships to press us down, “… let us press on to know the LORD.” (Hosea 6:3)

Whatever today involves, let’s take some time to seek God and know Him more deeply. Jesus came to give us abundant life (see John 10:10), and He desires to refresh our spirit with His presence right now.

“… And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.”   (Hosea 6:3)