The hot, dry weather we often experience in west Texas reminds me of when I lived in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Alamogordo is nestled near a beautiful mountain range but in the edge of a desert. This barren desert is the home of magnificent sunsets, colorful cacti and exotic wild life. Although it is beautiful in its own way, the one dominating factor in this environment is the absence of water.
But go north from Alamogordo, still in the desert, and soon you will be in the little city of Tularosa, where green lawns, colorful shrubs and tall trees are abuandant. The difference: a small river brings water from springs in the nearby mountains. This life-giving water is allowed to spill over to irrigate lush gardens and lawns, creating a veritable desert oasis.
Many of us often find ourselves facing the arid realties of life. Sometimes our spirits just seem to dry up much like a cactus plant in a New Mexico desert. We may feel as dry and parched as this year's hot, dry west Texas wind.
Remember, God offers his gift of thirst quenching spiritual water. Jesus said to the woman at the well, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14 (KJV)\
Showing posts with label desert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label desert. Show all posts
20110728
20090611
Water
A barren desert lies between two splendid mountain ranges in southern New Mexico. This desolate area is the home of magnificent sunsets, colorful cacti and exotic wild life. Although it is beautiful in its own way, the one dominating factor in this environment is the absence of water.
But in the midst of this desert lies the little city of Tularosa with its green lawns, colorful shrubs and tall trees. The difference: a small river brings water from springs in the nearby mountains. This life-giving water is allowed to spill over to irrigate lush gardens and lawns, creating a veritable desert oasis.
Many of us often find ourselves facing the arid realties of life. Sometimes our spirits just seem to dry up much like a cactus plant in a New Mexico desert.
Remember, God offers his gift of thirst quenching spiritual water. Jesus said to the woman at the well, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14 (KJV)
But in the midst of this desert lies the little city of Tularosa with its green lawns, colorful shrubs and tall trees. The difference: a small river brings water from springs in the nearby mountains. This life-giving water is allowed to spill over to irrigate lush gardens and lawns, creating a veritable desert oasis.
Many of us often find ourselves facing the arid realties of life. Sometimes our spirits just seem to dry up much like a cactus plant in a New Mexico desert.
Remember, God offers his gift of thirst quenching spiritual water. Jesus said to the woman at the well, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14 (KJV)
20071210
BUILDING ON SHIFTING SAND
Near Alamogordo, New Mexico is an area of more that two hundred square miles known as White Sands. At White Sands there are huge dunes, many as high as thirty feet. Actually, it is not sand at all, but gypsum.
In the center of this area, visitors find picnic tables and restroom facilities. There are, however, no permanent buildings, because everything must be moveable. Picnic shelters and restrooms are built on concrete slabs with steel handles, so they may be moved lest the shifting dunes cover them.
White Sands is fabulously beautiful, but not a place to live. When we build houses we want a foundation of rock—not shifting sands.
Jesus said, a person who refuses to heed His words, is like a man who built his house upon sand. “…And the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell.” Matthew 7:26 (KJV)
Are you building upon rock or sand?
In the center of this area, visitors find picnic tables and restroom facilities. There are, however, no permanent buildings, because everything must be moveable. Picnic shelters and restrooms are built on concrete slabs with steel handles, so they may be moved lest the shifting dunes cover them.
White Sands is fabulously beautiful, but not a place to live. When we build houses we want a foundation of rock—not shifting sands.
Jesus said, a person who refuses to heed His words, is like a man who built his house upon sand. “…And the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell.” Matthew 7:26 (KJV)
Are you building upon rock or sand?
20071209
FLYING TO SAFETY
I just finished re-reading the book, The Flight of the Phoenix by Sherwood Smith and Dave Trowbridge. This is the story of an airplane that crash-landed in a desert hundreds of miles from civilization. The men on the plane waited days for rescuers to come for them, but no one came.
Finally, one of the men, an aircraft designer, had the idea of building an air-worthy craft using parts of the crashed plane. His idea was to actually fly this rigged-up airplane to safety.
The idea of flying out of the vast desert to safety can be compared to the way God stands ready to lift us up above our enemies, whether these enemies be persons or circumstances. Do we let God lift us above them? Remember, He is always ready to lift us up and carry us to safety.
He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me. Psalm 18:48
Finally, one of the men, an aircraft designer, had the idea of building an air-worthy craft using parts of the crashed plane. His idea was to actually fly this rigged-up airplane to safety.
The idea of flying out of the vast desert to safety can be compared to the way God stands ready to lift us up above our enemies, whether these enemies be persons or circumstances. Do we let God lift us above them? Remember, He is always ready to lift us up and carry us to safety.
He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me. Psalm 18:48
20071122
WATER
A barren desert lies between two splendid mountain ranges in southern New Mexico. This desolate area is the home of magnificent sunsets, colorful cacti and exotic wild life. Although it is beautiful in its own way, the one dominating factor in this environment is the absence of water.
But in the midst of this desert lies the little city of Tularosa with its green lawns, colorful shrubs and tall trees. The difference: a small river brings water from springs in the nearby mountains. This life-giving water is allowed to spill over to irrigate lush gardens and lawns, creating a veritable desert oasis.
Many of us often find ourselves facing the arid realties of life. Sometimes our spirits just seem to dry up much like a cactus plant in a New Mexico desert.
Remember, God offers his gift of thirst quenching spiritual water. Jesus said to the woman at the well, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14 (KJV)
But in the midst of this desert lies the little city of Tularosa with its green lawns, colorful shrubs and tall trees. The difference: a small river brings water from springs in the nearby mountains. This life-giving water is allowed to spill over to irrigate lush gardens and lawns, creating a veritable desert oasis.
Many of us often find ourselves facing the arid realties of life. Sometimes our spirits just seem to dry up much like a cactus plant in a New Mexico desert.
Remember, God offers his gift of thirst quenching spiritual water. Jesus said to the woman at the well, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14 (KJV)
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