God Still Makes Rivers in the Desert  

After the abundance of rain we experienced in our region over the summer, it was strange to see a map indicating that we are now considered to be in a drought. This tends to be our driest time of the year, and this season has proven to be no exception. Therefore while we’ve been enjoying the autumn sunshine, we also look forward to some needed precipitation.

Many of us believe that we are also living in a time of spiritual drought, at least in our part of the world. Thankfully, there are reports of revival and mighty movements of God in some places, even in the midst of severe persecution. However, in our nation we seem to find ourselves in more of a spiritual desert these days. God and His ways are often being forgotten, ignored, or just flatly rejected by many in our society. While the narrow road Jesus called His followers to walk on seems to be getting narrower and less occupied, the road leading to destruction seems to be overwhelming the landscape while crowded with travelers. There seems to be a dearth of true faith, real relationships with Jesus, holy lives, and Spirit-filled believers.

Yet the Bible gives us hope and encouragement even when we find ourselves living in the wilderness. It declares in several passages that God can make rivers in the desert (see Isaiah 43:19-20). While some of these passages may refer to the restoration of Israel, I believe they also point to what God can do for any of us who put our trust in Him. In the midst of our wilderness, He can provide refreshment, revival, and restoration. God can satisfy our spiritual thirst, giving us rivers of living water to help us grow and flourish even in a dry and dusty landscape. He can provide an oasis for us right here in the middle of the desert of the year 2022 in America. Through a personal relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit living within us, we can find life and strength. We can obtain spiritual food from God’s Word to help us grow. We can find refreshment and strength through the love, fellowship, and support of fellow believers. If you’re spiritually dry, don’t blame the environment of our day. Even in the driest atmosphere, God has provided rivers of living water if we’ll just seek them and dive in.

Additionally, let’s not forget another side of this truth. Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). God not only provides rivers for us so that we can survive and thrive in the desert, but He intends to make us into rivers ourselves. We are to be channels of living water as His life, love, and truth flow out from us.

Unfortunately, too many of us become more like cactus in the desert. We’ve found our way to survive and store up water in ourselves, but we become harsh and prickly to those around us. We don’t have much to do with other desert-dwellers who are thirsty and faltering in this wilderness. Let’s pray for the Lord to make us less like cactus and more like rivers in the desert – a source of life and blessing to others.

As we see our society becoming more of a spiritual wasteland, it can be discouraging. So let’s remind ourselves of the good news that God still makes rivers in the desert. We can draw life and strength from Him, as well as let Him use us to refresh others. The desert can be a tough place to live, but God is still there and still working.