Isaiah 43:19“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create streams in the desert.” The human soul requires refreshment, of this I am certain. Each and every one of us has been created in such a way that recreation and relaxation is a key pursuit. I can confess that when I push back from the demands of life and my hectic schedule, I experience a sense of excitement. This excitement is based on several things; the first being that the cycle of demand and work is interrupted. The second is the anticipation of seeing something new or doing something different, something out of the norm. The third thing is the thrill of being with my wife or family apart from the demands of work and ministry. Most importantly, God’s plan is that I be renewed and refreshed. Do you find yourself exhausted, parched, and frankly, just worn out? Then let me give you an encouraging word – regardless of your financial status or situation in life, you need not take a trip to be refreshed. In fact, sometimes we can take a trip or go on vacation and wind up coming back more exhausted than when we left. Why? Because we neglected to be refreshed on the inside – in our soul. I am convinced that much of my distraction and irritability comes from within. When I am stressed, I’m running on empty. This usually happens when I’ve been at it too long. It happens when I feel like there’s no end to the demands of life. It happens when everything becomes seemingly predictable. It is at these times that I fall into a slump and everything about life seems dry and unfulfilling. The great news is the Lord loves to refresh us. He has told us in His Bible that if we would trust Him, out of our innermost being would flow rivers of living water. He has promised that if we were to drink of the water that He offers, we would never become thirsty again. Of course, God is speaking to us about soul satisfaction and spiritual refreshment that is no less real as plunging into the waves. He is inviting us to a spiritual renewal. As I write this, we are in the midst of a severe drought, and I, perhaps like you, continue to pray for rain. Could not the very soil of California grumble and complain as to just how dry, parched, and predictable things seem? Yet with one rainy day, a renewal of life comes to the animals, to the plants, and even to the earth itself. Could this be a picture for us of exactly what God wants to do in our hearts? Ask Him today to water your weary and parched soul. Ask Him to reveal to you the cloud of His glory and the comfort of His reign. Let Jesus be the answer for every one of life’s challenges that you face. You need not go it alone, friend. Let Him lead you along the still waters of His plan for your life. Let Him guide you along His stream that makes glad the heart of all who look to Him. Pastor Jack
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