Dry and Thirsty

What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds.
Matthew 13:3-7

We've talked before about bad seed and weeds and how they'll grow anywhere; no preparation is needed. However, to grow the good seeds, there is much to be done. And every one who has ever tried to plant and grow anything said, Amen.

Everything is affected when there's no rain. Have you ever stood on a soccer field or baseball diamond in the middle of a drought? The earth is so parched for water that there are splits in the ground - splits wide enough to cause the players to be in danger by losing their footing, spraining or breaking an ankle - or worse - depending on how they are running and how they fall.

Drought is costly in ways that some don't even recognize. There are all the obvious ways - crop failure causing produce prices to increase and the quality to decrease. And unless you're willing to have scrub brush and weed as your landscaping efforts, you have to water, so the utility bill increases. When the drought is so bad, the authorities issue a ban on watering non-essentials, then flowers and flower beds die and sometimes even the grass dies. Those who live in perpetually dry areas circumvent the lack of water by landscaping with rock.

And then there are the wildfires like California is experiencing - and the firefighters who wage the battle in overwhelming odds, sometimes paying the ultimate price - their lives. Not to mention the cost of thousands of burned acres of trees and foliage which in turn, affects the air quality; both in ash and the decreased ability to naturally clean the air.

How dry and thirsty are we? Are we being replenished and held together by the water of the Word? Are we actively seeking God so that He will rain down His righteousness on us and quench the thirsting of souls? Or are we poster children for the drought? Are the blossoms of love and forgiveness in our lives being choked out by the weeds of bitterness we've allowed to take root? Do we think we can hide the gaping tears in our hearts by covering them with stones, giving the facade of being well-kept and attractive, when there's no life in them? We can't even walk safely on rocks, let alone run the race to which we've been called.

Are the fires in our lives fires from God or from the LACK of Him? How do we know the difference? Well, what difference does it make? Fire burns! There is a BIG difference. Godly fire burns away the chaff - the dross in our lives - WITHOUT destroying what is good. Left unchecked, fires destroy completely... unless of course, you are surrounded by water...Living Water (John 4).

How dry and thirsty are you? I know where there is living water to be found.

Prayer:

Father,
         Your Son declared His Truth to us - “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” As we immerse ourselves in Your Word, Lord, cause our hearts and minds to be flooded with Your Truths. Make us to be the trees planted by the waters that are not moved by the spiritual and physical drought conditions around us. Let us produce Your fruit in our lives to feed those around us, drawing from Your well of living waters. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen