Living Water

 

After a brutal run of days with temperatures at 109, every living thing seemed to be showing the effects of the relentless heat. These two flowers, side by side, are in different conditions. Though only inches apart and receiving water from the same irrigation system, the flower on the right is completely and utterly fried. It appears as if it has been dipped in the boiling oil of a fryer and then planted in the garden. It appears that, if touched, it would crumble into dust.

The flower on the left has faired differently. Oh, it has a touch of brown on a leaf here and there. The color of the bloom is not as vibrant as it was once. But it is very much alive. It is holding its own against the harsh weather.

We can find ourselves feeling like one or the other of these flowers at different times in our lives. Sometimes the circumstances feel as if they are winning. We can find ourselves ”fried” by the harsh conditions of life. Poor health. Financial stress. Difficult relationships. Disappointment. Grief. We can feel parched and withered in body, mind and spirit. We can feel that one more thing will cause us to crumble.

At other times, we can be amazed at our resilience. We endure. We wake up each day with confidence and hope as we face the challenges before us. We find strength in our faith and in ourselves. Sometimes we are even surprised at how we are holding up.

It is good to remember that, in both these circumstances, we are still who we are. The circumstances do not determine our worth; God determines our worth. In both these circumstances, God, the master gardener, is still watering our lives with love. Even when we are dry and brittle, we are surrounded by grace. Even when it seems that our life is gone, we are in the hands of the One who brings life out of death and light out of darkness.

We read in the Psalms, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” We may indeed experience dry and thirsty times. But we can also know the living water that quenches all our thirst. Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”

Peace.