Scripture:
Psalm 107:33–37
33 He turns rivers into a desert,
springs of water into thirsty ground,
34 a fruitful land into a salty waste,
because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.
35 He turns a desert into pools of water,
a parched land into springs of water.
36 And there he lets the hungry live,
and they establish a town to live in;
37 they sow fields and plant vineyards
and get a fruitful yield. (NRSVUE)
Observation:
The image here is very vivid. Rivers become a desert, springs become thirsty ground, and land that had produced much becomes a salty waste. The psalmist connects this devastation to the wickedness of the inhabitants. Their decisions have consequences, and the land that once sustained life becomes barren.
On the other hand, God can turn the desert into pools of water. He can bring springs to parched land. Those who are hungry can find a place to live and be fed. Entire communities can be built and thrive in this space. They can grow crops, and provision will be made.
Application:
I’ve been studying the stream of the Holy Spirit. In Ezekiel’s vision, the river reaches into dry and barren places, and there it brings life. It even reaches the Dead Sea and is able to bring life to its waters.
Sometimes people ask why certain bad things have happened to them. They struggle with the deserts of life, the salty waste, and the thirsty ground. There are times when we find ourselves in deserts we did not choose. But there are also times when we fail to recognize that our own decisions have brought us to a place of spiritual barrenness. We have turned away from the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit, and our spiritual lives have become dry and thirsty.
But this passage is actually really good news because it is God who brings life. We may create the circumstances for our own desert, but we cannot create the water that restores it. Only God can transform our desert into a place of new life.
The picture now turns around. By His Spirit, there is again water, and our thirst is quenched. We are fed, not just for today, but continually through the crops that the fields will yield.
This last spring, we planted flowers in front of our house. It was time to get some landscaping done. What we had was dry and barren land. What it needed was to be cared for, nurtured, and watered. The watering was extremely important when the hot Kansas summer came and beat against those flower beds. But when they were fed with water in the cool of the evening, they flourished.
Not only did they flourish, but they attracted hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies as well. An entire ecosystem of life suddenly appeared.
God wants to do this in our lives, but we must be willing to receive the life that comes from Him. We are invited to turn from the ways of the world and trust in Him. We cannot produce the life-giving stream ourselves, but we can choose to remain where its waters will nourish us.
Then we will discover true life.
Prayer:
Lord, may I live in the presence of Your Spirit every day, trusting in You for life and provision. Amen.
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