The Thirsty Soul

I awoke this morning to the pitter- patter of rain against the window... It was a good sound because we still desperately need rain. It is so nourishing to the dryness of the forest and trees and other flowers and plants. My husband planted a huge planter of corn on our deck. We have watched it grow from tiny, tiny little fragile feathery looking leaves... to huge stalks with tassels and corn now very evident. Some told us it would never produce corn... that we might get the stalks... but not the corn. But we can see corn.

It has been fascinating to watch this corn grow. My husband was away for two weeks during the hottest part of July and I was in charge of watching over his little garden. We do not have a large garden because we do not have a lot of space, but he experimented this year by putting seeds and plants in huge planters on our deck. So, on our deck, we have potatoes growing, corn growing, green beans, strawberries, cherry tomatoes and cantaloupe. During the very, very hot days, I would watch those plants soak up water as though they were gulping it. Some days, the plants would look a little wilted and I would pray that they would spring forth with new life again. It was amazing to see the plants stand tall the next morning after a little water and the cool of the night to refresh them. My neighbor said that on the hottest days, he had to water his plants in the morning and again at night.

That is what it is like when we refresh ourselves with the Word of the Lord. It nourishes us and refreshes our soul. And sometimes, when we are especially wilted by the cares of the world, we need to drench ourselves in the Word. We need to drench ourselves... and pray.

"As for God, His way is perfect, the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. Psalm 18:30

If we soak in his Word as water soaking the roots of our souls... this is what he will do for us...

"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me so that my ankles do not turn." Psalm 18: 32-36

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." Psalm 42:1

Just as our soul gulps for water to soothe the dryness of our throats... there are days that we need to gulp the Word of God as though our lives depended on it. And yes... our lives do depend on it. Without the refreshing of the Word of God, without the drinking of water, we put ourselves in grave danger. Even if we are not able to read the Word of God on certain days, we can pray and hold fast to the Word that is hidden in our hearts. We can stand firm in the truth that we know. It will hold us until we can saturate ourselves again... But don't go too long or you will become wilted and weak like a plant without water...